THK 


u 


DIER’S  ASSISTANT 

IN  THK 

ART  OF  DYING 

WOOL  AND  WOOLLEN  GOODS. 

Extracted  from  the  philosophical  and  chymical  w^orks  ofthost 
most  eminent  Authors 

FERGUSON,  DUFAY,  HELLOT,  GEOFFERY, 
COtBERT ; 

AND  THAT  REPUTABLE  FRENCH  DIER 

MONS.  DE  JULIENNE. 

TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  FRENCH. 

WITH  ADDITIONS  AND  PRACTICAL  EXPERIMENTS. 

BY  JAMES  HAIGH. 

Late  Silk  and  Muslin  Dier,  Leeds. 


POUGHKEEPSIE  : 

PUBLISHED  BY  PARACLETE  POTTER,  MAIN-STREET. 
P.  & S.  Potter,  Printers, 


181S. 


'■■k* 


PREFACE. 


THERE  are  very  few  arts  so  expensive  as  that 
of  dteiijg  ; and  although  those  principal  corn, 
modities,  clothing  and  furniture,  receive  their 
chiet  improvement  and  value  therefrom,  it  is  nev- 
ertheless very  far  from  being  brought  to  perfec- 
tion. A long  practice,  sound  judgment,  and 
great  attention,  will  form  a good  and  expert  dier. 
Many  diers  can  w'ork  with  success  in  a number 
of  colours  only  w’hich  depend  on  each  other,  and 
are  entirely  ignorant  of  the  rest,  or  have  but  a 
ver\  imperfect  idea  of  them. 

A philosopher,  who  studies  the  art  of  dieing, 
is  in  some  measure  astonished  at  the  multiplicity 
of  new^  objects  which  it  affords  ; every  step  pre- 
sents new  difficulties  and  obscurities,  u'ithout 
hopes  of  any  instruction  from  the  common  work- 
men, who  seldom  know  more  than  facts  ard  cus- 
tom. Their  manner  of  explaining  tiiernseives, 
and  their  common  terms,  only  affirnd  more  dark- 
ness, w'hich  the  uncommon  and  often  useless  cir- 
cumstances of  their  proceedings  render  more  ob- 
scure. 

Before  we  enter  into  the  particulars  of  dicing 
wooi,  it  is  necessary  to  give  an  idea  of  the  prima- 
ry colours,  or  rather  of  those  which  bcc=r  this 
name  by  the  arti:st ; for  it  will  appear  by  reading 
the  celebrated  w’orks  of  Sir  Isaac  Newton  oa 
Light  and  Colours,  that  they  bear  no  aPiinitv  v.  ith 
those  w hich  the  Philosophers  call  by  that  name. 
They  are  thus  named  by  the  workmen;  because 


IV 


PREFACE* 


by  the  nature  of  the  ingredients  of  which  they 
are  composed,  they  are  the  basis  from  whence  all 
others  are  derived.  This  division  of  colours, 
and  the  idea  which  [ intend  to  give  of  them,  are 
also  common  to  the  different  kinds  of  diting. 

The  five  primary  colours  are  blue,  red,  yellow, 
brown  and  black.  h.ach  r.f  these  can  furnish  a 
great  number  of  shades,  from  ihe  lightest  to  the 
darkest  ; and  from  the  combination  of  two  or 
more  of  these  different  shades,  arise  all  the  col- 
ours in  nature.  Colours  are  often  darktned,  or 
made  light,  or  considerably  changed,  by  ingre- 
dients that  have  no  colour  in  themselves  ; such 
are  the  acid,  the  alkalis,  and  the  neutral  salts, 
lime,  urine,  arsenic,  alum,  and  some  others  ; and 
in  the  gri^test  part  of  dies,  the  wool  and  woollen 
goods  ar^  prepared  with  some  of  these  ingredi- 
ents which  of  themselves  give  little  or  no  colour. 
It  may  easily  be  conceived  what  an  infinite  vari- 
ety must  arise  frorai#ie  mixture  of  these  differ- 
ent matters,  or  even  from  the  manner  of  using 
them  ; and  what  attention  must  be  given  to  the 
minutest  circumstances,  so  as  perfectly  to  suc- 
ceed in  an  art  so  complicated,  and  in  which  there 
are  many  diffieiilties. 

It  is  not  needful  tp  be  very  particular  in  describ- 
ing the  utensils  of  a die  house,  as  they  are  com- 
monly known  ; this  work  being  des'^ned  for  the 
experienced  dier.  A die- house  shoTO,  however, 
be  erected  on  a spacious  plan,  roofed  over,  but 
admitting  a good  light,  and  as  nigh  as  possible 
to  a running  water,  which  is  very  necessary,  eL 
ther  to  prepare  the  wool  before  it  is  died,  or  to 
wash  it  afterwards.  The  coppers  should  be  set 
at  the  distance  of  eight  or  tea  feet,  and  two  or 


PREFACE. 


V 


more  vats  for  the  blue,  according  to  the  quanti- 
ty of  work  that  is  to  be  carried  on.  ^ 

The  most  important  point  in  dicing  the  primi-* 
tive  blue  is  to  set  the  vat  properly  at  work,  and 
conduct  her  till  she  is  in  a state  to  yield  her  blue. 
The  siz  of  the,  vvoad  vat  is  not  fixed,  as  it  de- 
pends upon  necessity  or  pleasure.  A vat  con- 
taining a hogshead,  or  half  that  quantity,  has  often 
been  used  with  success  ; but  then  they  must  be 
prevented  l»y  some  means  from  cooling  too  sud- 
denlv,  otherwise  these  small  vats  v\  ill  fail. 

Another  kind  of  vat  is  prepared  for  blue  : this 
is  called  the  indigo  vat,  because  it  is  the  indigo 
alone  that  gives  it  the  colour.  Those  that  use 
the  woad  vat  do  not  commonly  use  the  indigo  one. 

There  are  two  methods  of  dicing  wool  of  any 
colour  ; the  one  is  called  dicing  in  the  great,  the 
other  in  the  lesser  die.  The  first  is  done  by 
means  of  drugs  or  ingredients  that  procure  a last., 
ing  die,  resist  the  action  of  the  air  and  sun,  and 
are  not  easily  stained  by  sharp  or  corrosive  li- 
quors. The  contrary  happens  to  colours  of  the 
lesser  die.  The  air  fades  them  in  a short  time, 
more  particularly  if  exposed  to  the  sun  ; most 
liquors  stain  them,  so  as  to  make  them  lose  their 
first  colour.  It  is  extraordinary  that,  as  there 
is  a method  of  making  all  kinds  of  colours  by  the 
great  die,  the  use  of  the  lesser  should  be  toiera-. 
ted ; but  thl*ee  reasons  make  it  difficult,  if  not 
impossible,  to  prevent  this  practice. 

1st,  The  work  is  much  easier.  Most  colours 
and  shades  which  give  the  greatest  trouble  in  the 
great,  are  easily  carried  on  in  the  lesser  die. 

Most  colours  in  the  lesser  are  more  bright 
and  lively  than  those  of  the  great. 


Vi 


PREFACE. 


\ 


3d,  For  this  reason,  which  carries  more  weight, 
the  lesser  die  is  carried  on  much  cheaper  than  the 
great.  This  is  sufficient  to  determine  some  men 
to  do  all  in  their  power  to  carry  it  on  in  prefer- 
ence to  the  other.  Hence  it  is  that  the  true 
knowledge  of  chymistry,  to  which  the  art  of  dic- 
ing owes  its  origin,  is  of  so  much  use. 

It  may  be  observed,  that  all  lasting  colours  are 
called  colours  of  the  great,  and  the  others  of  the 
lesser  die  Sometimes  the  first  are  called  fine, 
and  the  latter  false  colours  ; but  these  expressions 
are  equivocal,  for  the  fine  are  sometimes  con- 
founded with  the  high  colours,  which  are  those 
in  whose  composition  cochineal  enters  ; therefore, 
to  avoid  ail  obscurity,  I shall  call  the  first  colours 
of  the  great,  and  the  latter  colours  of  the  lesser  die. 

Experiments,  (which  are  the  best  guides  in 
natural  philosophy  as  well  as  arts)  plainly  shew, 
that  the  difference  of  colours,  according  to  the 
foregoing  distinction,  partly  depends  on  the  prep- 
aration of  the  subject  that  is  to.  be  died  and  part- 
ly on  the  choice  of  the  ingredients  which  are  af- 
terwards used  to  give  it  the  colour,  I therefore 
think  it  may  be  laid  down  as  a general  principle, 
that  all  the  invisible  process  of  dicing  consists  in 
dilating  the  pores  of  the  body  that  is  to  be  died, 
and  dep(j^iting  therein  particles  of  a foreign  mat- 
ter, .which  are  to  be  detained  by  a kind  of  ce- 
ment which  prevents  the  sun  or  rain  #f>m  chang- 
ing them.  'Vo  make  choice  of  the  colouring  par- 
tiales  of  such  a durability  that  they  may  be  re- 
tained, and  sufficiently  set  in  the  pores  of  the 
subject  opened  b}yhc  heat  of  boiling  water,  then 
contracted  by  the  cold,  and  afterwards  plaistered 
over  witli  a kind  of  cement  left  behind  with  the 


PREFACE.'  Vii 

salt  used  for  their  preparation,  that  the  pores  of 
the  wool  or  woollen  stuff  ought  to  be  cleansed, 
enlarged,  cemented  and  then  contracted,  that  the 
colouring  atom  may  be  contained  in  a lasting 
manner. 

Experiments  also  shew  that  there  is  no  colour- 
ing ingredient  belonging  to  the  great  die  which 
has  not  more  or  less  an  astringent  and  precipitant 
quality.  That  this  is  sufficient  to  separate  the 
earth  of  the  alum  ; this  earth,  joined  to  the  col- 
ouring atoms,  forms  a kind  of  lacque,  similar  to 
that  u^ed  by  the  painters  but  infinitely  finer.  'Phat 
in  bright  colours,  such  as  scarlet,  where  alum 
cannot  be  used,  another  body  must  be  substitu- 
ted to  supply  the  colouring  atoms  (block- tin  gives 
this  basis  to  the  scarlet  die.)  When  all  these 
small  atoms  of  earthly  coloured  lacque  have  insin- 
uated themselves  into  the  poies  of  the  subject  that 
is  dilated,  the  cement  which  the  tartar  leaves  be- 
hind serves  to  masticate  these  atoms  ; and  lastly, 
the  contracting  of  the  pores,  caused  by  the  cold, 
serves  to  retain  them. 

It  is  certain  that  the  colours  of  the  false  die 
have  that  defect  onl\  because  the  subject  is  not 
suffic  iently  prepared  ; so  that  the  colouring  parti* 
cles  being  onl)  deposited  on  its  plain  surface,  it  is 
impossibie  but  the  least  action  of  the  air  or  sun 
must  deprive  them  of  part,  if  not  of  the  whole. 
If  a method  was  discovered  to  give  to  the  colour- 
ing parts  of  dicing  woods,  the  necessary  astric- 
tion  which  they  require,  and  if  the  we>ol  at  the 
same  time  was  prepared  to  receive  them,  (as  it  is 
the  red  of  madder)  I am  convinced,  by  thirty  ex- 
periments, that  these  woods  might  be  made  as 
useful  in  the  great,  as  they  have  hitherto  been  in 
the  lesser  die. 


PREFACE. 


tiii 

What  I have  said  shall  be  applied  in  the  sequel 
of  this  treatise,  where  I shall  shew  what  engaged 
me  to  use  them  as  general  principles. 

I should  have  been  glad  to  have  seen  a work  of 
this  sort,  (knowing  the  great  need  there  is  of  a 
chymical  understanding  of  this  art)  signed  by  the 
name  of  some  person  of  distinction,  to  have  given 
it  a better  face  ; yet,  in  defect  of  that,  I was  pre- 
vailed upon  to  undertake  the  tedious  task.  I dare 
not  flatter  myself  to  have  brought  it  to  its  last  per- 
fection, as  arts  daily  improve,  and  this  in  particu- 
lar ; but  I hope  some  acknowledgment  will  be 
due  to  me  for  bringing  this  matter  a little  further 
out  of  that  obscurity  in  which  it  has  laid,  and  for 
assisting  the  diers  in  making  discoveries  to  help 
to  perfect  this  most  useful  art. 

I shall  now  proceed  to  examine  the  five  prima- 
ry colours  above  mentioned,  and  give  the  different 
methods  of  preparing  them  afteV  the  must  solid 
and  permanent  manner. 

^ JAMES  HAIGH. 


INTRODUCTION. 


THE  materials  of  which  cloths  are  made,  for 
the  most  part  are  naturally  of  dull  and  gloomy 
colours.  Garments  would  consequently  have 
had  a disagreeable  uniformity,  if  this  art  had  not 
been  found  out  to  remedy  it,  and  vary  their  shades. 
The  accidental  b'uising  of  fruits  or  herbs,  the 
effect  of  rain  upon  certain  earih:>  and  minerals 
might  suggest  the  first  hint  of  the  art  of  dicing, 
and  of  the  materials  pro'per  for  it.  Every  climate 
furnishes  man  with  ferruginous  earths,  with  boles 
of  all  colours,  with  saline  and  vegetable  materials 
for  this  art.  The  diffi  mlty  must  have  been  to  find 
the  art  of  applying  them.  But  how  many  trials 
and  essays  must  have  been  made,  before  they 
found  out  the  most  proper  methods  of  applying 
them  to  stuffs,  so  as  to  stain  them  with  beautiful 
and  lasting  colours  ? In  this  consists  the  principal 
excellence  of  the  dier’s  art,  one  of  the  most  in^ 
geniousand  difficult  which  we  know. 

Dicing  is  performed  by  means  of  limes,  salts, 
waters,  leys,  fermentations,  macerations,  &c.  It 
is  certain  that  dicing  is  very  ancient.  The  Chi- 
nese pretend  that  they  owe  the  discovery  of  it  to- 
Hoan-ti,  one  of  their  first  sovereigns. 

One  of  the  most  agreeable  effects  of  the  art  of 
diring,  is  the  diversil)  ing  the  colours  of  stufis. 
There  are  two  ways  by  which  this  agreeable  vari- 
ety is  produced,  cither  by  needle  woik  with 
threads  of  diffi  < rnt  colours,  on  an  uniform  ground, 
or  by  making  use  of  yarn  of  different  colours  in 
the  weaving. 


B 


X 


INTRODUCTION . 


The  first  of  these  inventions  is  attributed  to  the 
Phrys^ians,  a very  ancient  nation  ; the  idbt  to  the 
Babylonians.  Many  things  incline  us  to  think 
that  these  arts  were  known  even  in  the  times  of 
which  we  are  now  treating.  The  great  progress 
the-^e  arts  had  made  in  the  days  of  Moses>  sup- 
poses that  they  had  been  discovered  long  before. 
It  appears  to  me  certain,  then,  that  the  arts  of  em- 
broidery or  weaving  stuffs  of  various  colours 
wore  invented  in  the  ages  we  are  now  upon.  But 
I shall  not  insist  on  the  manner  in  which  they 
were  then  practised,  as  I can  say  nothing  satis- 
factory upon  that  subject. 

Another  art  nearly  related  to  that  of  dieing,  is 
that  of  cleaning  and  whitening  garments,  when 
they  have  been  stained  and  sullied.  Water  alone 
is  not  sufficient  for  this.  We  must  communicate 
to  it  by  means  of  powders,  ashes,  &.c.  that  deter- 
sive quality  which  is  necessary  to  extract  the 
stains  which  they  have  contracted.  Idle  ancients 
knew  nothing  of  soap,  but  supplied  the  want  of 
it  by  various  means.  Job  speaks  of  wash- 
ing his  garments  in  a pit  with  the  herb  borith. 
This  passage  shows  that  the  method  of  cleaning 
garments  in  these  ages,  was  by  throwing  them 
into  a pit  full  of  water,  impregnated  with  some 
kind  of  asshes  ; a method  which  seems  to  have 
been  very  universal  in  these  first  times.  Homer 
describes  Nausicaa  and  her  companions  washing 
their  garments,  by  treading  them  with  their  feet 
in  a pit. 

With  respect  to  the  herb  which  Job  calls  borith, 
I imagine  it  is  salvvorth.  This  plant  is  very  com* 
mon  in  Syria,  Judea,  Egypt,  and  Arabia.  I'bey 
burn  it«  and  pour  water  upon  the  ashes.  This 


INTBODUCTION, 


XI 


water  becomes  impregnated  with  a very  strong 
lixivial  bait  proper  ior  taking  stains  or  impurities 
Out  of  wool  or  cloth. 

The  Greeks  and  Romans  used  several  kinds  of 
earths  and  plants  instead  of  soap.  The  savages 
oi  America  make  a kind  of  soap- water  of  certain 
fruits,  with  which  they  wash  their  cotton  beds 
and  other  stuffs.  In  Iceland  the  women  make  a 
ley  (vf  ashes  and  urine.  The  Persians  employ 
boles  and  marls.  In  many  countries  they  find 
eaahs  ’vhich,  dissolved  in  water,  have  the  prop- 
perty  nf  cleaning  and  whitening  cloth  and  linen. 
All  these  muhods  might  perhaps  be  practised  in 
the  primitive  ages  The  necessitie^s  of  ail  man- 
kind are  much  the  same,  and  all  climates  present 
them  with  nearh  the  same  resources.  It  is  the 
art  of  applying  them,  v hich  distinguishes  polite 
and  civilized  nations  from  savages  and  barbarians. 


CONTENTS 


PART  I. 

©F  THE  ART  OF  DIEING  WOOL  AND  WOOLLEN 
STUFFS. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Of  Blue  . . . . • . 25 

CHAPTER  II. 

Of  the  Garden- Woad  or  Pastel- Vat  • • 29 

The  vat  set  to  work  . . . . ib. 

IVIarks  how  to  conduct  a Vat  regularly  . 32 

The  opening  of  the  Vat  . . ; 36 

CHAPTER  HI. 

Of  the  Field  Woad  Vat  • . ; 46 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Indigo  Vat  , . • . .49 

Process  of  makir  g the  Indigo  in  America  . ib. 
Method  of  working  the  Indigo  \ at  . . 51 

CHAPTER  V. 

The  cold  Vat  with  Urine  , , . 55 

The  hot  Vat  ith  Urine  ...  57 

Re- heating  ot  the  Vat  with  Urine  . . 59 


tOKTEXTS. 


xm 


CHAPTER  Vr. 

or  the  cold  Indigo- Vat  without  Urine  * • 

Water  of  Old  Iron  - . . . 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Of  the  Method  of  dying  Blue 
The  manufacturing  of  Pastel,  or  Garden 
Woad  in  France  ...  * 

Powder  of  Woad  . ... 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Of  Red  . . . . . 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Of  scarlet  of  Grain 

Preparation  of  the  wool  for  scarlet  of  Grain 
Liquor  for  the  Kermes 


CHAPTER  X. 

Of  Flame  coloured  scarlet 

Composition  for  Scarlet 

Water  for  the  Preparation  of  Scarlet 

Reddening 

Experiments  on  Cochineal  Liquor 
Violet  withoui  Blue 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Of  C rimson  . , , 

Languedoc  Crimson 
Natural  Crimson  in  Grain 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Scarlet  of  Gum  Lacque 
jB2 


62 

6a 


65 

89 

91 


94 


95 

96 

97 


107 
109 
1 2 
li3 
128 
129 


130 

133 

136 


136 


XIV 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Of  the  Coccus  Polonicus,  a colouring  Insect  149 
CHAPTER  XIV. 


Of  the  Red  of  Madder 
Purple  with  Madder  without  Blue 


Of  Yellow 


Of  Brown 


CHAPTER  XV. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


Of  Black  . ... 

Remarks  on  Black  Die 

CHAPTER  XVHI. 
Of  the  Mixture  of  Blue  and  Red 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Of  the  Mixture  of  Blue  and  Y eilow 
CHAPTER  XX. 

Of  the  Mixture  of  Blue  and  Brown 
CHAPTER  XXL 

Of  the  Mixture  of  Bme  and  Black 
CHAPTER  XXII. 

Of  the  Mixture  of  Red  and  Yellow 


142 

151 


152 


156 


164 

166 


167 


170 


175 


17S 


176 


frOWTENT  S. 


XV 


CHAPTER  XXIIL 

Of  the  Mixture  oi'  Red  aiid  Brown  • 179 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Of  the  Mixture  of  YcUowand  Brown  • 180 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Of  the  Mixture  ol  Brown  and  Black  . 181 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Of  the  Mixture  of  the  primitive  Colours  taken 
three  b}  three  . . . . loi] 

Variety  of  Carnation  Colours  . . 184 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Of  the  Manner  of  mixing  Wool  of  different 
Colours,  for  cloth,  or  mixed  Colours,  (Co- 
lours mixed  in  the  Loom  ) . . 187 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Of  the  method  of  preparing  the  Pattern  Felts, 
or  Mixture  for  an  Essay  . . • 189 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


Of  Polish  Red 


191 


PART  II. 


OF  THE  LESSER  DIE. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Of  the  dicing  of  Wool  by  the  Lesser  Die  19S 


/ 


xvi 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  II. 

Of  the  dicing  of  flock  or  Goat’s  Hair  ^ 

AS'uiphuring  of  Wool 

Uiie  Theory  of  the  Dissolution  of  flock 

CHAPTER  III. 

Of  the  manner  of  using  Archil 
Basiard  scarlet  by  Archil 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Of  Logwood  or  Campeachy  • i 
The  Raven  Grey,  , . . 

CHAPTER  V. 

Of  Saxon  Blue  and  Green  . , 

Blue  on  Cloth,  Stuff,  or  Yarn 
Chymic  for  Green, 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Of  Brazil  Wood  . . . , 

CHAPTER  VII. 


Of  Fustic 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Of  Roucou 


CHAPTER  IX. 
Of  the  Grains  of  Avignon 

CHAPTER  X. 

Of  Turmeric  • - I 


. IPS 
. 202 
. ib. 


. 206 
. 209 


211 

215 


• 215 
. 216 
. 217 


218 


. 222 


22S 


225 


225 


cox  TENTS.  xvii 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Of  Silver  Grey 227 

Another  excellent  Silver  Die  . . 228 

Instructions  on  the  proof  of  dyed  Wool  and 
. Woollen  Stuffs  , , . ib# 

PART  III. 

ADDITIONAL  ARTICLES. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Of  Flowers  . . . . . 237 

Of  Blue  Flowers  , . • . 238 

Of  Red  and  Yellow  Flowers.  • . 240 

Of  WhiteFlowers  ....  242 

CHAPTER  II. 

Of  Fruits  ....  243 

CHAPTER  III. 

Of  Leaves  • . • 247 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Mr.  Lewis’s  History  of  Madder,  and  manner 
of  treating  it  - . , 250 

CHAPTER  V. 

Of  Fustic  , . . . 254 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Of  Nephritic  Wood  . , . 254 


XViii  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Mr.  Ferguson’s  History  of  Logwood  as  a 
colouring  Drug 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  process  of  Prussian  Blue  , 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Of  Alkanet  Root  . 

CHAPTER  X. 

Of  Alum  ... 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Chymical  History  nf  Saunders,  and  its  dif- 
ference from  other  Red  \V(.ods 

CHAPTER  XII. 


256 

258 

260 

262 

26S 


OfVerdigrisc 


265 


DIER’S  ASSISTANT 


IN  THE 


ART  OF  DYING. 


THE 


DIER^S  ASSISTANT. 


PART  I. 


CHAPTER  I. 


I OF  BLUE. 

• WOOL  and  woollen  stuffs  of  all  kinds,  are  di- 
ed blue  without  any  other  preparation,  tiian  weU 
ting  them  well  in  iuke-warm  water, squeezing  them 
well  afterwards,  or  letting  them  drain  ; this  pre- 
caution is  necessary,  that  the  colour  may  the  nrore 
easily  insinuate  itself  into  the  body  of  the  wool, 
j that  it  may  be  equally  dispersed  throughout  ; 
nor  is  this  to  be  omitted  in  any  kind  of  colours, 
whetlurr  the  subj  xt  be  wool  or  cloth. 

As  to  wool  in  the  fleece,  w hich  is  used  in  man. 
iifltcturing  cloth,  as  well  inc  mixt  as  other  sorts, 
i and  which  they  are  obliged  to  dye  before  they  are 
' spun,  they  are  prepared  in  another  manner,  viz. 

! they  are^ scoured,  and  thereby  divested  of  the  nat- 
! Ural  fat  they  had  w hen  on  the  body  of  the  animal.^* 
As  this  operation  ib  properly  the  i tier’s,  and  is 

The  natural  fat  adhering  to  the  veool  presence?,  it  ia  the  warehouse,  an(f 
also  from  modis. 


^6 


• t 


indespensable  in. wool  which  is  to  be  died  before  it 
is  spun,  let  the  colour  be  what  it  will,  1 shall  give 
the  proper  process. 

This  operation  is  not  every  where  alike,  but 
this  is  the  method  followed  in  the  n>anu factory  of 
Audly  in  Normandy,  where  cloths  are  most  beau- 
tifully manufacuirecl. 

A copper  containing  twenty  pails  is  used  for 
this  purpose  ; they  put  twelve  pails  of  water,  and 
four  of  urine,  (which  is  generally  fermented),  the 
copper  is  heated,  and  when  the  liquor  is  so  hot  as 
to  bear  the  hand  withent  sc  Iding,  ten  or  twelve 
pounds  of  wool,  that  still  contains  its  natinal  fat, 
are  put  in  and  left  in  the  copper  about  a cjuarter  of 
an  hour,  stirring  from  time  to  tiiTie  with  sticks  ; it 
is  then  taken  out  and  put  to  drain  on  a scray  ; from 
thence  it  is  carried  in  a large  square  basket,  and 
placed  in  running  water,  two  men  stirring  it  tQ 
and  fro  for  a considerable  time  with  long  poles,  till 
it  is  entirely  cleansed  of  its  fat ; then  it  is  taken 
out  and  placed  in  a basket  to  drain  ; while  this  wool 
is  thus  preparing,  a like  quantity  may  be  put  into 
the  copper,  and  thus  proceed  till  the  whole  is 
scoured,  if  the  liquor  is  too  much  wasted,  fresh  is 
to  be  added,  made  up  of  one  part  urine  and  three 
parts  w^ater.  They  generally  scour  a bale  ofw^ool 
at  once  ; if  it  weighed  250\b  in  the  fat,  it  gener- 
ally loses  60ib,  in  scouring;  but  this  diminution  of 
weight  varies  in  proportion  to  the  wool  being  more 
or  less  scoured,  and  in  proportion  to  the  more  or 
less  fat  contained  therein.  Too  much  attention 
cannot  be  paid  to  the  scouring,  as  it  is  thereby  bet- 
ter disposed  for  the  reception  of  the  dye. 

The  fat,  which  is  an  oily  transudation,  and 
slightly  partarking  of  the  quality  of  urine  retained 


/ 


27 


by  the  fleece,  which  is  too  thick  to  let  it  out,  is  so- 
luble in  water,  consequently,  as  water  alone  could 
not  separate  it,  a fourth  part  of  urine  is  put  into  the 
copper,  which  must  have  been  kept  some  days,  in 
order  to  separate  its  volatile  salts  by  fermentation  ; 

(I  mean  that  it  is  necessary  this  urine  should  be- 
gin to  acquire  a strong  smell)  ; this  volatile  salt, 
being  an  alkali  forms  with  the  fat  a kind  of  soap, 
which  is  always  the  result  of  all  oils  and  alkalis 
whatsoever  mixed  together.  As  soon  as  soap  is 
formed  bv  the  combination  of  these  two  principles 
it  becomes  soluble  in  water,  and  is  consequently 
easily  carried  off  A proof  that  a true  soap  has 
,been  formed  in  this  operation,  is,  that  the  water 
which  carries  it  away,  whitens  as  long  asany  fat  is 
separated  from  the  wool  : if  there  was  a sufficient 
quantity  of  fermented  urine  in  the  copper,  tlie  wool 
will  be  well  scoured  ; if  it  wa^  not,  all  the  fat  would 
not  be  changed  into  soap*  and  consequently  the 
w ool  w ill  remain  greas/.  l*he  same  operation 
might  be  performed  with  fixed  alkalis,  as  with 
the  lee  of  pot- ash  or  pearl  ashes  ; but  as  this  lee 
wc  uid  not  only  come  dearer  than  urine,  it  might 
also  damage  the  w ool,  i*  the  exact  proportion  w as 
not  a])plied.  1 am  convinced  by  several  expy^ri- ' 
ments,  that  these  caustic  salts  do  easily  destroy  all 
animal  subs^ices,  as  w’ool,  silk,  &c. 

I beg  the  reader  may  take  notice,  that  though  in 
the  sequel  I do  not  mention  this  operation  of  scour- 
ing, it  is  nevertheless  necessary  for  all  wool  that 
is  to  be  died  before  it  is  spun,  as  also  that  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  w^et  those  that  are  spun,  and  stuffs  of  ail 
kinds,  that  the  colour  may  be  the  more  equal^ 
diffused  throughout. 


28 


Of  the  five  primary  colours  mentioned  in  the 
preface,  two  of  them  require  a preparation  given  by 
noncolouring  ingredients,  which,  by  the  acidity 
and  fineness  of  their  earth,  dispose  the  pores  of  the 
wool  to  receire  the  colour.  This  is  called  the 
preparation  ; it  varies  according  to  the  nature  of 
shades  and  colours  : the  red,  the  yellow,  and  the 
colours  derived  from  them  must  be  so  treated  ; 
black  must  have  a preparation  peculiar  to  itself ; 
blue  and  brown  require  none  ; it  is  sufficient  that 
the  wool  be  thoroughly  scoured  and  wetted  ; and 
even  for  blue,  it  suffices  to  dip  it  into  the  vat,  stir- 
ring it  well,  and  letting  it  remain,  more  or  less,  ac- 
cording as  the  ground  of  the  colour  is  wanted.. 
For  this  reason,  and  also  that  many  colours  previa 
ously  require  a blue  shade  to  be  given  to  the  wool, 
I shall  begin  with  it,  and  give  thereon  the  most  ex- 
act rules  in  my  power.  .It  is  an  easy  matter  to 
dye  wool  blue,  when  the  vat  is  once  prepared,  but 
it  is  not  so  easy  to  prepare  the  vat,,  which  is  the 
most  difficultpartof  the  Dier’sart.  In  all  the  other 
processes,  it  is  sufficient  to  follow  the  simple  ope* 
rations  transmitted  from  masters  to  apprentices. 
Three  ingredients  are  used  in  the  blue  die,  viz. 
garden- woad  or  pastel,  the  woad,  and  the  indigo. 
I shall  give  the  preparation  of  each,  beginning  with 
the  garden  woad.  # 


29 


CHAPTER  II. 


9F  THE  GARDEN. WOAD,  OR  PASTEL-WOAB. 

THE  garden-woad  is  a plant  cultivated  in  many 
parts  of  Holland  and  France, and  might  be  in  Eng« 
land  or  Ireland,  to  the  great  advantage  of  the  hus- 
bandman ; it  is  made  up  in  bales,  generally  weigh- 
ing from  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  to  two 
hundred  ; it  resembles  little  clods  of  dryed  earth, 
.interwoven  with  the  fiiires  of  plants ; it  is  gather, 
ed  at  a proper  season,  and  laid  up  to  rot,  and  then 
made  into  small  balls  to  dry.  Several  circumstan- 
^ ces  are  to  be  observed  in  this  preparation;  on  this 
you  may  see  the  regulations  of  Mons.  Colbert  on 
Dies  ; the  best  prepared  comes  from  the  diocese . 
of  Aiby  in  France. 

The  vat  set  to  work, 

A copper  as  near  as  possible  to  the  vat  is  filled 
with  water  that  has  stood  for  some  time,  or,  if  such 
Tv^ater  is  not  at  hand,  a handful  of  Dier’s  woad  or 
hay  is  added  to  the  water,  with  eight  pounds  of 
crubt  of  fat  madder.  If  the  old  liciuor  from  a vat 
that  has  been  used  in  dicing  from^ madder  can  be 
procured,  it  will  save  the  madder,  and  produce  a 
better  effect. 

The  copper  being  filled,  and  the  fire  lighted  2l^ 
bout  three  iu  the  morning,  it  must  boil  an  hour  and 
a quaiier,  (s<  me  diers  boil  it  from  two  hours  and 
. a half  to  three);  it  is  then  conveyed  by  a spout  ia- 

C 2 


50 


to  the  woad  vat,  in  which  has  been  pr^ionsly  put 
a peck  of  wheaten  bran.  Whilst  the  boiling*  li- 
quor is  emptying  into  the  vat,  the  balls  of  woad 
must  be  put  one  after  another  into  the  vat,  that 
they  may  be  the  easier  broken,  raked  and  stirred  ; 
this  is  to  be  continued  till  all  the  hot  liquor  from 
the  copper  is  run  into  the  vat,  which,  when  little 
more  than  half  full,  must  be  covered  with  cloths 
somewhat  larger  than  its  circumference,  so  that 
it  may  be  covered  as  close  as  possible,  and  left  in 
this  state  for  four  hours.  Then  it  must  be  aired, 
that  is,  uncovered  to  be  raked,  and  fresh  air  let  in 
it  ; and  to  each  bale  of  woad,  a good  measure  of 
ware  flung  in  ; this  is  a concealed  name  for  lime 
that  has  been  slacked.  This  measure  is  a kind  of 
wooden  shovel,  which  serves  to  measure  the  lime 
grossly  ; it  is  five  inches  broad  and  three  inches 
and  a half  long,  containing  near  a good  handful ; 
the  lime  being  scattered  in,  and  the  vat  well  raked 
it  must  be  again  covered,  leaving  a little  space  of 
about  four  fingers  open,  to  let  in  air.  Four  hours 
after,  she  must  be  raked,  without  serving  her  with 
lime  ; the  cover  is  then  put  on,  leaving  as  before, 
an  opening  for  the  air  ; in  this  manner  she  must 
be  let  to  stand  for  two  or  three  hours.  Then  she 
may  be  raked  well  again,  if  she  is  not  ^et  come  ta 
work  ; that  is  if  she  does  not  cast  bltfe  at  her  sur* 
face,  and  that  she  works  or  ferments  still,  which 
may  be  known  by  raking  and  plunging  with  the 
flat  of  the  rake  in  the  vat  ; being  well  raked,  she 
is  to  remain'  still  for  one  hour  and  a half  more, 
carefully  observing  whether  she  casts  blue.  She 
is  then  to  be  served  with  water,  and  the  quantity 
of  indigo  judged  necessary  is  to  be  put  in  ; it  is 
commonly  used  in  a liquid  state,  the  full  of  a dye;* 


1 


31 

house  kettle  for  each  bale  of  woad  ; the  vat  being 
filled  wiihiii  six  finger  breadths  of  her  brim,  is  to 
be  raked  and  covered  as  before  ; an  hour  after  fib 
ling  her  with  water  she  must  be  served  with  lime 
viz.  two  measures  of  lime  for  each  bale  of  woad, 
giving  more  or  less  according  to  the  qualuy  of  the 
w'oad,  and  what  may  be  judged  it  will  spend  or 
take  of  lime. 

I hope  the  reader  will  excuse  my  plainness  j 
this  treatise  being  wrote  for  the  dier,  1 must  speak 
the  language  he  is  used  to  ; the  philosopher  will 
easily  substitute  proper  terms,  which  perhaps  the 
workman  would  rot  understand.  There  are 
kinds  of  woad  readier  prepared  than  others,  so 
that  general  and  precise  rules  cannot  be  given  on 
this  head.  It  must  also  be  remarked,  that  the 
lime  is  not  to  be  put  into  the  vat  till  she  has  been 
well  raked. 

The  vat  being  again  covered,  three  hours  after 
a pattern  must  be  put  in,  and  kept  entirely  cover ^ 
ed  for  an  hour  ; it  is  then  taken  out  to  judge,  if 
she  be  fit  to  work.  If  she  is,  the  pattern  ttiiist 
come  out  green,  and  on  being  exposed  a minute 
to  the  air,  acquire  a blue  colour.  If  the  vat  gives 
a good  green  to  the  pattern,  she  must  be  raked, 
served  w ith  one  or  two  measures  of  lime  and  cov- 
ered. 

Three  hours  after,  she  must  be  raked,  and  ser- 
ved with  what  lime  may  be  judged  necessary  ; she 
is  then  to  be  covered,  and  one  hour  and  a half  af- 
ter, the  vat  being  pitched  or  settled,  a pattern  is  put 
in,  which  must  remain  an  hour  to  see  the  effects  of 
the  woad.  If  the  pattern  is  of  a fine  green,  and 
that  it  turns  to  a deep  blue  in  the  air,  another  must 
fee  dipt  in  to  be  certain  of  the  effect  of  the  yat.  If 


32 


tills  pattern  is  deep  enough  in  colour,  let  the  vat  be 
filled  up  with  hot  water,  or  if  at  hand,  with  old  li- 
quor of  madder,  and  rake  her  well  Should  the 
vat  still  want  lime,  serve  her  with  such  a quantity 
as  you  may  judge  sufficient  by  the  smell  and  hand^ 
ling.  This  done,  she  must  be  again  covered,  and 
one  hour  after  put  in  your  stuffs,  and  make  your 
overture.  7'his  is  the  term  used  for  the  first  work- 
ing of  wool  or  stufts  in  anew  vat. 

Marks  by  which  you  may  know  how  to  conduct  a 
vat  regularly^ 

A vat  is  fit  to  work  when  the  grounds  arc  of  a 
green  brown,  when  it  changes  on  its  being  taken 
out  of  the  vat,  when  the  flurry  is  of  a fine  Turkish 
or  deep  blue,  and  when  the  pattern,  which  has 
been  dipt  in  it  for  an  hour  comes  out  of  a fine  deep 
grass  green.  When  she  is  fit  to  work,  the  bever 
has  a good  appearance,  clear  and  reddish,  and  the 
drops  and  edges  that  are  formed  under  the  rake  m 
lifting  up  the  bever  are  brown.  Examining  the 
appearance  of  the  bever,  is  lifting  up  the  liquor 
with  the  hand  or  rake,  to  see  what  colour  the  liquor 
of  the  vat  has  under  its  surface.  The  sediment  or 
grounds  must  change  colour  (as  has  been  already 
observed)  at  being  taken  out  of  the  bever,  and 
must  grow  brown  by  being  exposed  to  the  exter- 
nal air.  The  bever  or  liquor  must  feel  neither  too 
rough  nor  too  greasy,  and  must  not  smell  cither  of 
lime  or  lee.  These  are  the  distinguibiiing  marks 
of  a vat  that  is  fit  to  work. 


33 


Mow  to  know  when  a Fat  is  cracked  hy  too  ^reat  or 

too  small  a quantity  oj  Lime  ; extremes  which 

must  he  avoided. 

When  more  lime  has  been  put  in  than  was  suf- 
ficient for  the  woad,  it  is  easily  perceived  by  dip- 
ping in  a pattern,  which,  instead  of  turning  to  a 
beautiful  grass  green,  is  only  daubed  with  a steely 
green.  The  grounds  do  not  change,  the  vat  gives 
scarcely  any  flurry,  and  the  bever  has  a strong  o- 
dour  of  quick  lime,  or  its  lees. 

This  error  is  rectified  by  thinning  the  vat,  in 
which  the  diers  differ  ; some  use  tartar,  others 
bran,  of  which  they  throw  a bushel  into  the  vat, 
more  or  less,  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  of  lime 
used,  others  a pail  of  urine.  In  some  places  a 
large  iron  chafing  dish  is  made  use  of,  long  enough 
to  reach  from  the  ground  to  the  top  of  the  vat,  this 
chafing-dish  or  furnace  has  a grate  at  a foot  dis- 
tance from  its  bottom,  and  a funnel  coming  from 
under  this  grate,  and  ascending  to  the  top  of  the 
chafing-dish,  which  is  to  give  air  to,  and  kindle 
the  coals  which  are  placed  on  the  grate.  This  fur- 
nace is  sunk  in  the  vat,  near  to  the  surface  of  the 
grounds,  so  as  not  to  touch  them,  and  is  fastened 
with  iron  bars  to  prevent  its  rising.  By  this  meth- 
od the  lime  is  raised  to  the  surface  of  the  liquor, 
which  gives  an  opportunity  to  take  oflf  with  a sieve 
what  is  thought  superfluous  ; but  when  this  is  ta- 
ken out,  the  ne(  essary  quantity  of  ware  must  be 
carefully  restored  to  the  vat.  Others  again  thin 
the  vat  with  pearl  ashi  s,  or  tartar  boiled  in  stale 
urine  ; but  the  best  cure,  when  she  is  too  hardVis 
to  put  in  bran  and  madder  at  discretion  ; and  if 
she  be  but  a little  too  hard,  it  will  suffice  to  let  her 


34 


remain  quiet,  four,  five,  or  six  hours,  or  more^ 
puttin«'  in  only  two  hats  full  of  bran,  and  three  or 
four  pounds  of  madder,  wbicli  arc  to  be  lightly 
strewed  on  the  vat,  after  which  it  is  to  be  covered. 
Four  or  five  hours  after,  she  is  to  be  raked  and 
plunged,  and  according  to  the  colour,  that  the  fur- 
ry which  arises  from  this  motion,  assumes  and  im- 
prints on  the  whole  liquor,  a fresh  proof  is  made 
by  putting  in  a pattern. 

If  she  is  cracked,  and  casts  blue  only  when  she 
is  cold,  she  must  be  left  undisturbed,  sometimes 
whole  days  without  raking  ; wdien  she  begins  to 
strike  a tolerable  pattern,  her  liquor  must  be  re- 
heated or  warmed ; then  commonly  the  lime,  which 
seemed  to  have  lost  all  power  to  excite  a fermen- 
tation, acquires  new  strength,  and  prevents  the  vat 
from  yielding  its  die  so  soon.  If  she  is  to  be  has- 
tened, some  bran  and  madder  are  to  be  thrown  on, 
as  also  one  or  two  baskets  of  new  woad,  which 
helps  the  liquor  that  has  been  reheated  to  spend  its 
lime. 

Care  must  be  taken  to  putpatternsin  each  hour, 
in  order  to  judge,  by  the  green  colour  which  they 
acquire , how  the  lime  is  worked  on.  B)  these 
trials  she  may  be  coi^ducted  with  more  exactness, 
for  when  ojice  a vat  is  cracked,  by  too  great  or  too 
small  a quantity  of  lime,  she  is  brought  to  bear 
with  much  more  difficulty.  If  while  you  are  en- 
deavouring to  bring  her  to  w'ork,  the  bever  grow’s 
a little  too  cold,  it  ust  be  heated  by  taking  off 
some  of  the  clear,  and  instead  thereof,  adding 
some  warm  water  ; for  w hen  thr  bever  is  cold, 
the  w’oad  spends  little  or  no  lime  ; when  it  is  too 
hot,  It  retards  the  action  of  the  w^oacl,  and  prevents 
it  from  spending  the  lime  ; therefore  it  is  better  to 


55 


wait  a little,  than  to  hasten  the  vats  to  come  to 
work  when  they  are  cracked,  A vat  is  known 
not  to  have  been  sufficiently  served  with  lime,  and 
that  she  is  cracked,  when  the  bever  gives  no  flur- 
ry, but  instead  lilt  reol  gives  only  a scum,  and 
when  she  is  plu ng</d  or  raked,  she  only  works, 
ferments  and  hisses,  (I’nis  noise  is  made  by  a great 
number  of  air  bubbles  that  burst  as  soon  as  they 
form,)  the  liquor  h is  also  the  smell  of  a common 
sewer  or  sink,  or  rotten  eggs  ; it  is  harsh  and  dry 
to  the  touch  ; the  grounds  when  takeji  out  do  not 
change,  w hich  generally  happens  when  a vat  is 
cracked  for  want  oi'  lime.  This  accident  is  chief- 
ly to  be  ajjprehended  w hen  a vat  is  opened  and  a 
di])  made  in  her  ; for  if  her  state  has  not  been 
looked  into,  both  in  regard  to  the  smell  as  well  as 
raking  arid  plunging,  and  that  the  stuffs  be  impru- 
dently put  in  wlieii  the  woad  has  spent  its  lime, 
it  is  to  be  feared  the  vat  may  be  lost ; for  the  stuffs 
being  put  in,  the  small  quantity  of  lime  that  still 
remains  in  a stale  to  act,  sticks  to  them,  the  bever 
is  divested  of  it,  and  tl\c  stuffs  only  blotted  ; these 
must  be  immediately  taken  out,  and  a quick  rem- 
edy applied  to  the  vat,  to  preserve  the  remaining 
part  of  the  die,  which  is  done  bv  putting  in  three 
or  four  OiCasures  of  lime,  more  or  less,  according 
as  the  vat  is  cracked,  and  that  without  raking  her 
bottom. 

It  is  also  to  be  observed,  that  if  in  raking  and 
plunging  the  fermentation  ceases,  and  the  bad 
smell  change,  it  is  then  to  be  supposed  that  the 
bever  or  liquor  alone  has  sufiered,  and  that  the 
grounds  are  not  yet  in  want,  \\  hen  the  ferment- 
ation is  in  part  or  totally  abated,  and  the  bever  has 
a smell  of  lime,  and  feels  soft  to  the  touch,  the  vat 


36 


is  to  be  covered  and  left  at  rest  ; and  if  the  flurry- 
still  remains  on  the  vat  an  hour  and  a half,  a pat- 
tern is  to  be  put  in,  which  must  be  taken  out  one 
hour  after,  and  you  are  to  be  guided  according  to 
the  green  ground  it  will  take.  But  generally  vats 
that  are  thus  cracked,  are  not  so  soon  brought  to 
a state  fit  for  dicing. 

The  Opening  of  the  Vat. 

The  vat  being  come  to  work,  the  cross  must 
be  let  down,  and  about  thirty  ells  of  cloth,  or  the 
equivalent  of  its  weight  of  wool  well  scoured, 
(which  is  first  intended  to  be  died  of  a Persian 
blue  to  make  a black  afterwards,)  having  returned 
this  stirring  several  times,  which  must  have  al- 
ways been  covered  v/ith  liquor,  the  cloth  must  be 
twisted  on  the  rings  fastened  to  the  jack  at  the  top 
of  the  vat ; if  it  be  wool,  it  is  to  be  dipt  w ith  a net, 
which  wdll  serve  to  wTing  it  : the  cloth  must  be 
opened  by  its  lists  to  air  it,  and  to  cool  the  green, 
that  is,  to  make  it  lose  the  green  colour  it  had  com- 
ing out  of  the  vat,  and  take  the  bluci,  1 1 this  cloth 
or  wool  was  not  deep  enough  for  a mazarine  blue 
by  the  first  dipping,  it  must  get  anodier,  by  re- 
turning into  the  va.  the  end  of  the  piece  of  cloth 
wdtich  first  came  out;  and  accord'mgto  the  strength 
of  the  woad,  you  must  give  to  tiiis  striking  two 
or  three  returns,  as  may  be  thought  nccessar}  for 
the  intensity  of  the  blue  required.  If  the  wo  .d  be 
good,  such  as  the  true  L’Aurag.as  is  commonly, 
after  taking  out  the  first  stirring,  a second  may  be 
put  in  at  this  first  opening  of  the  vat.  After  mak- 
ing this  opening,  which  is  also  called  ihe  fir.it  rak- 
ing, the  vat  is  to  be  again  raked,  and  sei  veu  wiili 


Ume  at  discretion,  observing  that.  It  has  the  smell 
and  touch  conformable  to  what  has  been  laid  down 
before,  and  taking  notice,  that  in  proportion  as 
the  die  diminishes,  so  does  the  strength  of  the 
woad. 

If  the  vat  be  in  good  order  at  the  first  opening, 
three  or  four  stirrings  ina}'  be  made,  and  the  next 
day,  two  or  three  more,  only  observing  not  to  hur- 
ry her,  or  to  work  her  as  strong  as  at  first.  That 
the  vat  may  turn  to  as  much  profit  as  possible  for 
the  shades  of  blue  ; first,  all  stuffs  iniended  to  be 
black,  are  died  ; then  the  kings  blue  ; after  these 
the  green  brown  : the  violets  and  Turkish  blues 
are  commonly  done  in  the  last  rakings  of  the  sec- 
ond day  of  the  opening.  The  third  day,  if  the 
vat  appears  much  diminished,  she  must  be  filled 
with  hot  water  within  four  inches  of  the  brim. 
This  is  called  filling  the  vat 

The  latter  end  of  the  week,  the  light  blues  are 
made,  and  on  Saturday  night,  having  raked  the 
vat,  she  is  to  be  served  a little  more  than  the  pre- 
ceding day,  that  she  may  keep  till  Monday. 

Monday  morning  the  bever  is  put  on  the  fire, 

I by  passing  it  from  the  vat  into  the  copper  by  a 
I trough,  which  rests  on  both  ; this  clear  bever  is 
i emptied  to  the  grounds,  and  when  it  is  ready  to 
; boil  it  must  be  returned  into  the  vat,  raking  the 
‘ grounds,  as  the  hot  liquor  falls  from  the  trough  ; 
at  the  same  time  may  be  added  a kettle  f ull  of  pre- 
pared indigo. 

When  the  vat  is  filled  within  four  inches  of  the 
i brim,  and  well  raked,  she  must  be  covered,  and 
I two  hours  after  a pattern  put  in,  which  must  re- 
\ main  not  more  than  an  hour  ; lime  must  be  added 
I according  to  the  shade  of  the  green,  which  this 


38 


proof  pattern  shall  have  taken,  and  at  the  expiration 
of  an  hour  or  two,  if  the  vat  has  not  suiFered,  the 
stuff  is  to  be  put  in  ,*  having  conducted  it  between 
two  waters  for  about  half  an  hour,  it  is  wrung, 
and  a dip  is  again  given  to  it,  as  was  done  in  the 
new  vat.  This  vat  heated  again,  is  conducted  in 
the  same  manner,  that  is,  three  rakings  are  made 
the  first  day,  observing  at  each  raking,  whether 
she  want  lime  ; for  in  this  case,  the  quantity  judg- 
ed necessary  must  be  given. 

Blue  made  of  woad  alone,  according  to  the 
opinion  of  some  prejudiced  in  favour  of  old  cus. 
toms,  is  much  better  than  that  which  the  woad 
gives  with  the  addition  of  indigo.  But  then  this 
blue  would  be  much  dearer,  because  woad  gives 
much  kss  die  than  indigo,  and  it  has  been  found 
by  repeated  experience,  that  four  pounds  of  fine 
indigo  from  Guatimala,  produced  as  much  as  a 
bale  of  Albigeois  woad  or  pastel  ; and  five  pounds 
as  much  as  a bale  from  L’Auragais,  which  gene- 
rally weighs  two  hundred  and  ten  pounds.  So  the 
using  of  the  indigo  with  the  woad  is  a great  saving, 
as  one  vat  with  indigo  shall  die  as  much  as  three 
without  it. 

Indigo  is  generally  put  into  hew  vats  after  the 
Woad  yields  its  blue,  and  a quarter  or  half  after 
she  is  to  be  served  with  lime  ; as  this  solution  of 
indigo  is  already  impregnated  with  some  of  its 
dissolution,  the  lime  must  be  given  with  a more 
sparing  hand  than  where  the  woad  is  used  alone. 
At  the  re-heating,  the  indigo  is  put  in  on  Satur.. 
day  night,  that  it  may  incorporate  with  the  bever, 
and  that  it  may  serve  as  garnish  by  its  lime.  The 
indigo  that  is  brought  from  Guatimala  in  Ameri- 
ca is  the  best;  it  is  brought  over  in  the  shape  of 


39 


small  stones,  and  of  a deep  blue  ; it  must  be  of 
a deep  violet  colour  within  and  when  rubbed  on 
the  nail,  have  a copper  hue  ; the  lightest  is  the 
best.  It  is  necessary  to  observe,  that  for  the  bet- 
ter conducting  of  a woad  vat,  and  to  prevent  acci- 
dents, a manufacturer  ought  to  have  a good  woad** 
man,  this  is  the  name  given  to  the  journeyman 
dier,  wdiose  principal  business  is  to  conduct  the 
woad  ; practice  has  taught  him  more  than  this 
treatise  can  furnish. 

I shall  make  some  rejections  necessary  to  attain 
a more  perfect  knowledge  of  this  process.  The 
woad  vat  must  never  be  re- heated,  but  when  fit 
for  working ; that  is,  she  must  have  neither  too 
much  nor  too  little  lime,  but  be  in  such  a state  as 
only  to  want  healing  to  come  to  work.  It  is 
known  she  has  too  much  lime  (as  has  been  before 
observed)  by  the  quick  smell  ; on  the  contrar}%  a 
want  is  known  by  the  sweetish  smell,  and  by  the 
scum  which  rises  on  the  surface  by  raking,  being 
of  a paie  blue. 

Care  must  be  taken  when  a vat  is  intended  to  be 
rc-heated,  not  to  serve  her  with  lime  in  the  evening 
(unless  in  great  want  of  it)  for  if  she  was  too 
much  served  with  it,  she  might  next  day  be  too 
hard,  as  the  diers  term  it  ; for  by  heating  her 
again,  a greater  action  is  given  to  the  lime,  and 
makes  her  spend  it  the  quicker.  Fresh  indigo 
is  commonly  put  into  the  vat,  each  time  she  is  re- 
heated, in  proportion  to  the  quantity  to  be  died.  It 
would  be  needless  to  put  in  any,  if  there  was 
but  little  work  to  do,  or  only  light  colours  want- 
ed. It  was  not  permitted  by  the  ancient  regu- 
lations of  France,  to  put  more  than  pounds 
of  indigo  to  each  bale  of  woad,  because  the  co- 


40 


lour  of  the  indigo  was  thought  not  lasting,  and 
that  it  was  only  the  great  quantity  of  woad  which 
could  secure  and  render  it  good  ; but  it  is  now 
ascertained,  both  by  the  experiments  of  Monsieur 
Dufay,  and  those  which  I have  since  made,  that 
the  colour  of  indigo^  even  used  alone,  is  full  as 
good,  and  resists  a’s  much  the  action  of  the  air, 
sun,  and  rain,  as  that  of  pastel  or  woad. 

When  a vat  has  been  heated  two  or  three  times, 
and  a good  part  has  been  worked  off,  the  same 
liquor  is  often  preserved,  but  part  of  the  grounds 
are  taken  out,  which  is  replaced  by  new  woad  ; 
(this  is  called  vamping  ;)  the  quantity  cannot  be 
prescribed  on  this  occasion,  for  it  depends  upon 
the  work  the  dier  has  to  do.  Practice  will  teach 
all  that  can  be  wished  for  on  this  head.  There 
are  diers  who  preserve  liquor  in  their  vats  several 
years,  renewing  them  with  woad  and  indigo  in 
proportion  as  they  work  them  ; others  empty  the 
vat  entirely,  and  change  the  liquor  when  the  vat 
has  been  heated  six  or  seven  times,  and  that  she 
gives  no  more  die.  A series  of  practice  alone 
will  show  which  of  these  is  preferable.  It  is 
however  more  reasonable  to  think,  that  by  renew- 
ing it  now  and  then,  more  lively  and  beautiful  co^ 
lours  may  be  obtained,  and  the  best  diers  follow 
this  method. 

In  Hc/iland  tliey  have  vats  which  do  not  require 
to  be  so  often  heated,  Mr.  Van  Robbais  had 
some  of  these  made  some  years  since  for  their 
royal  manufactory  at  Abbeville.  The  upper  parts 
of  these  vats,  to  the  height  of  three  feet,  are  of 
copper,  and  the  rest  lead.  They  are  also  sur- 
rounded with  a small  brick  wall,  at  seven  or  eight 
inches  from  the  copper  ; in  this  interval  embers 


41 


are  put,  which  keep  up  the  heat  of  the  vat  a long 
time,  so  that  she  remains  several  days  together  in 
a condition  to  be  worked,  without  the  trouble  of 
heating  her  over  again.  These  vats  are  much 
more  costly  than  the  others,  but  they  are  very 
convenient,  especially  for  the  dipping  of  very 
light  colours  ; because  the  vat  is  always  fit  to 
work,  though  she  be  very  weak ; this  is  not  the 
case  of  the  others,  which  generally  make  the  co- 
lour a great  deal  deeper  than  required,  unless  they 
are  set  to  cool  considerably,  and  then  it  happens 
that  the  colour  is  not  so  good,  nor  has  it  the  same 
brightness.  To  make  these  light  colours  in  com- 
mon vats,  it  is  better  to  work  some  purposely  that 
are  strong  with  woad  and  weak  of  indigo  ; such 
give  their  colours  slower,  and  light  colours  arc 
made  with  greater  ease. 

As  to  the  vats  made  after  the  Dutch  fashion, 
and  which  have  already  been  mentioned,  the  four 
which  Mr.  Van  Robbais  has  in  his  manulactory, 
are  six  feet  in  depth,  of  which  three  feet  and' a 
half  in  the  upper  part  are  copper,  and  the  two 
feet  and  a half  of  the  bottom  are  lead.  The  di- 
ameter at  the  bottom  is  four  feet  and  a half,  and 
that  at  the  top  fi\  e feet  four  inches. 

To  return  to  the  observations  on  heating  the 
common  vats.  If  the  vat  was  heated  ^vhcn  crack- 
ed,  that  is,  when  she  has  not  quite  lime  enough, 
she  would  turn  in  the  heating  without  being  per- 
ceived, and  perchance  be  entirelv  lost,  as  the 
heat  would  soon  finish  the  spending  of  the  lime, 
which  was  in  too  small  a quantity.  Jf  this  is  per- 
ceived in  time,  it  must  be  helped  by  pouring, 
it  back  into  the  vat  withou^smore  heating  ; then 
feed  her  with  lime,  and  not  heat  her  till  she  is 
come  to  work.  D 2^ 


V 


42 


On  the  re-heating,  some  of  the  grounds  must 
be  put  into  the  copper  with  the  liquor  or  bever ; 
and  great  care  must  be  taken  not  to  boil  it,  be- 
cause the  volatile  necessary  in  this  operation  would 
evaporate.  There  are  some  diers,  who,  in  heat- 
ing their  vats,  do  not  put  in  the  indigo  immedi- 
ately after  the  liquor  is  poured  from  the  copper 
into  the  vat,  but  wait  some  hours  till  they  see  her 
come  to  work  : this  they  do  as  a precaution,  lest 
the  vat  should  fail,  and  the  indigo  be  lost ; but  by 
this  method,  the  indigo  does  not  so  freely  yield 
its  colour,  as  they  are  obliged  to  work  as  soon  as 
she  is  fit,  that  she  may  not  cool,  so  that  the  in- 
digo, not  being  entirely  dissolved,  nor  altogeth-. 
er  incorporated,  has  no  effect.  It  is  therefore  bet- 
ter to  put  it  into  the  vat  at  the  same  time  the 
liquor  is  cast  in,  and  rake  her  well  after.  If  the 
vat  is  heated  over  again  without  her  coming  to 
work,  she  must  not  be  scummed  as  in  the  com- 
mon heatings,  as  the  indigo  w^ould  be  carried  off 
thereby,  whereas,  when  she  has  worked,  this 
scum  is  formed  of  the  earthy  part  of  the  indL 
go  and  woad,  united  with  a portion  of  lime. 
When  too  much  lime  is  put  into  a vat,  you  must 
w^ait  for  her  till  such  time  as  she  has  spent  it,  or 
it  may  be  accellerated  by  heating  it,  or  by  put- 
ting in  ingredients  which  destroy  in  part  the  ac- 
tion of  the  lime,  such  as  tartar,  vinegar,  honey^ 
bran,  some  mineral  acid,  or  any  matter  that  will  be- 
come sour  ; but  all  these  correctors  wear  out  the 
die  of  the  indigo  and  woad,  so  that  the  best 
method  is,  to  let  it  spend  of  its  own  accord. 
A vat  is  not  commonly  fed  with  lime,  but  on 
the  first,  second,  ai^^d  sometimes  the  third  day, 
and  it  is  also  remarked,  riot  to  dip  the  violets,  pur? 


43 


pies,  or  any  other  wool  or  stuffs  which  have  pre- 
viously a colour  that  may  be  easily  damaged 
the  surxceding  day  after  its  being  fed  with  lime, 
as  it  is  then  too  active,  it  dulls  the  first  colour  ; 
the  fifth  or  sixth  day  the  crimson  may  be  dipt 
to  give  them  a violet,  and  the  yellows  for  green  ; 
following  this  rule,  the  colours  will  always  be 
bright. 

W hen  a vat  has  been  re  heated,  she  must  come  • 
to  work  before  she  is  served  with  lime  ; if  this 
was  done  a little  too  soon,  she  must  be  cracked  ; 
the  same  thing  would  happen  if  some  of  the 
grounds  were  put  into  the  copper.  The  most  cL 
fectual  method  in  this  case  is  to  let  her  rest  before 
she  is  worked,  until  she  comes  to,  wlticli  often 
happens  in  two,  three  or  four  hours,  and  some- 
times a day.  By  using  light  or  weak  lime,  she 
grows  too  hard  ; because  this  light  lime  remains 
in  the  liquor,  and  does  not  incorporate  with  the 
grounds.  This  is  known  by  the  strong  smell  of 
the  liquor,  and  on  the  contrary  the  grounds  have  a 
sweetish  smell,  whereas  the  smell  ought  to  be  e- 
qual  in  both.  The  best  way  then  is,  to  let  it  spend 
itself,  by  raking  her  often,  in  order  to  mix  the 
lime  with  the  grounds,  until  the  smell  of  the  vat  is 
restored,  and  the  flurry  becomes  blue. 

A w'oad  vat  may  be  set  without  the  addition  of 
indigo,  but  then  she  yields  but  little  colour,  and 
only  dies  a small  quantity  of  wool  or  stuffs  ; for 
one  pound  of  indigo^  as  has  already  been  ol^serv- 
cd,  affords  as  much  die  as  fifteen  or  sixteen  pounds 
of  woad.  I set  one  of  this  kind  to  try  the  qualities 
of  woad  by  itself,  and  I could  not  find  that  mdigo 
was  any  way  inferior  to  it,  either  for  the  beamy  or 
solidity  of  the  colour.  As  lime  is  always  used^" 


44 


and  sometimes  sour  liquors,  in  the  setting  of  a vat, 
this  is  the  proper  place  to  speak  of  their  prepara- 
tion. 

Preparation  of  Lime. 

That  the  lime  may  be  properly  slacked  for  the 
dier’s  use  several  pieces  are  immersed  in  water, 
one  after  another,  and  when  each  has  remained  till 
it  begins  to  crackle,  they  are  taken  out  to  put  in 
others,  and  after  this  manner  they  are  cast  into  an 
empty  vessel,  where  the  lime  finishes  slacking, 
and  reduces  itself  to  powder,  considerably  aug- 
menting its  bulk  ; it  is  afterwards  sifted  through 
a canvass,  and  kept  in  a dry  hogshead. 

Sour  liquors  are  not  only  necessary  in  some  cir- 
cumstances of  setting  a woad  vat,  but  also  in  some 
of  the  preparations  given  to  wool  and  stuffs  previ- 
ous to  their  being  died  ; they  are  prepared  after 
#ie  following  manner  : 

Preparation  of  sour  Liquors. 

A copper  of  the  size  required  is  filled  with  riv~ 
€T  water,  and  when  it  boils,  it  is  flung  into 'a  hogs- 
head, where  a sufficient  quantity  of  bran  has  been 
put,  and  stirred  with  a stick  three  or  four  limes  a 
day.  The  proportion  of  bran  and  water  is  not 
very  material ; I have  made  a good  liquor  by  put- 
ting three  bushels  of  bran  into  a vessel  containing 
two  hundred  and  four  score  quarts.  Four  or  five 
days  after,  this  water  becomes  sour,  and  conse- 
quently fit  for  use  in  all  cases,  where  it  will  not  be 
detrimental  to  the  preparations  of  wool  that  are  in- 
dependent of  dying. 


45 


For  it  may  happen,  that  wool  in  the  fleece  which 
has  been  died  in  a liquor  w'here  too  great  a quan- 
tity of  sour  water  has  been  put,  will  be  harder  to 
spin,  as  the  sediment  of  the  bran  forms  a sort  of 
starch  that  glues  the  fibres  of  the  wool,  arid  pre- 
vents them  from  forming  an  even  thread.  I must 
here  take  notice  of  the  bad  custom  of  letting  sour 
liquors  remain  in  copper-vessels,  as  1 have  seen  in 
some  eminent  die- houses  ; for  this  liquor  being 
an  acid,  corodes  the  copper,  and  if  it  remains  long 
enough  to  take  in  a portion  of  this  metal,  it  will 
cause  a defect  both  in  the  die  and  in  the  quality  of 
the  stuff  : in  the  die,  because  the  dissolved  copper 
gives  a greenish  cast  ; in  the  quality  of  the  stuff, 
because  the  copper  dissolved  preys  on  all  animal 
substances.  The  diers  are  often  ignorant  of  the 
cause  of  these  defects. 

I flatter  myself  to  have  omitted  no  essential 
point  on  the  woad  vat  : if  any  difficulties  or  acci- 
dents, which  I have  not  mentioned,  are  found  in 
the  practice  they  are  not  considerable,  and  an  easy 
remedy  will  be  found  by  those  who  make  them- 
selves familiar  with  the  working  pari. 

The  readers  who  have  no  idea  of  this  work,  may 
think  me  too  prolix,  and  find  repetitions  ; but 
those  who  intend  to  make  use  of  what  I have  taught 
in  this  chapter,  will  perhaps  reproach  me  for  not 
having  said  enough  on  the  subject. 

Those  that  read  this  chapter  with  attention,  will 
not  be  surprised  that  the  master-piece  for  appren.. 
tices  lo  diers  of  the  great  die,  is^  to  set  the  woad 
vat  and  work  her. 


46 


CHAPTER  III. 


0I^  THE  FIELD  WOAD  VAT. 

I HAVE  but  little  to  say  on  this  woad  vat,  dif- 
ferent from  that  which  has  been  related  of  the  pas- 
tel or  garden  woad.  The  woad  is  a plant 
vated  in  Normandy,  and  prepared  after  the  same 
manner  the  garden  w^oad  is  in  Languedoc.  The 
method  of  cultivating  it  may  be  seen  in  the  French 
“ General  Instructions  on  Dies,’*  of  the  28th  of 
March,  1671;  from  the  article  259  to  288,  where 
it  treats  of  the  culture  and  preparation  of  the  pastel 
and  woad.  The  woad  vat  is  set  at  work  after  the 
same  manner  as  that  of  pastel  ; all  the  difference  is 
that  it  has  less  strength  and  yields  less  die.  There 
follows  a description  of  the  woad  vat,  which  I car- 
ried on  in  small,  and  in  a bath  heat,  similar  to  that 
of  the  pastel  in  the  foregoing  chapter. 

I placed  in  a copper  a small  vessel  containing 
fifty  quarts,  and  filled  two-thirds  with  a liquor 
made  of  river  water,  one  ounce  of  madder  and  a 
little  weld,  putting  in  at  the  same  time  a good 
handful  of  wheaten  bran  and  five  pounds  of  woad. 
The  vat  was  well  raked  and  covered  ; it  was  then 
five  in  the  evening  ; it  was  again  raked  at  seven, 
nine,  twelve,  two  and  four  o’clock  ; the  woad  was 
then  working,  that  is,  the  vat  was  slowly  coming 
to  work,  as  I have  already  related  of  that  of  the 
pastel. 

Pietty  large  air  bubbles  formed  themselves,  but 
in  a small  quantity,  and  had  scarcely  any  colour. 


She  was  then  served  with  two  oiinces  of  Uine  and 
raked.  At  five  o’clock  a pattern  w’as  put  in  ; 
which  was  taken  out  at  six,  raking  hei  ; this  pat- 
tern began  to  have  some  colour  ; another  was  put 
in  at  seven,  at  eight  she  was  raked,  and  the  pattern 
came  out  prett\  bright ; an  ounce  of  indigo  was 
then  put  in  ; at  niiiC  another  pattern,  at  ten  she 
was  raked,  and  one  ounce  oflime  was  added  be- 
cause she  began  to  have  a sweetish  smell  ; at 
eleven  a pattern,  at  twelve  she  was  raked  ; it 
was  thus  continued  till  five,  then  three  oun- 
ces of  indigo  were  put  in,  at  six  a pattern,  at 
seven  she  was  raked.  It  would  then  have  been 
proper  to  have  served  her  with  water,  as  she  was 
at  that  time  perfectly  come  to  work,  the  pattern 
that  w^as  taken  out  being  very  green,  and  turning 
of  a bright  blue.  But  besides  that  I was  fiuigued, 
having  sat  up  the  whole  night,  I chose  rather  to 
put  her  back  to  the  next  day,  to  see  her  efiect  by 
day-light;  and  for  that  purpose,  I put  one  ounce 
of  lime,  which  kept  her  up  till  nine  in  the  morn- 
ing : from  time  to  time  patterns  were  put  in,  the 
last  that  was  taken  out  was  very  beautiful  ; she 
was  served  with  a liquor  composed  of  water,  and 
a small  handful  cf  bran.  She  w^as  raked,  and 
patterns  put  in  from  hour  to  hour  ; at  five  she 
was  come  to  work  ,*  she  was  afterwards  served 
with  lime,  and  raked  to  preserve  her  till  she  was 
to  be  reheated. 

Some  time  after  I set  another  with  the  woad 
alone  without  indigo,  that  I might  be  able  to 
judge  of  the  lasting  of  the  die  of  the  woad,  which 
upon  trial,  I found  to  be  as  good  as  the  pastel  or 
garden  woad.  Thus  all  the  superiorly  the  pas- 


48 


tel  has  on  the  woad,  is,  that  the  latter  yields  less 
die  than  the  former. 

The  little  varieties  that  may  be  observed  in 
setting  these  different  vats  at  work,  prove,  that 
there  are  many  circumstances  in  these  processes 
that  are  not  absolutely  necessary.  It  appears  to 
me,  that  the  only  important  point,  and  that  to 
which  the  greatest  attention  is  to  be  given,  is  in  the 
conducting  the  fermentation  with  care,  and  not 
to  serve  her  with  lime,  but  w^hen  judged  ne- 
cessary by  the  indications  I have  laid  down.  As 
to  the  indigo  being  put  it  at  twice,  or  altogetlier, 
a little  sooner  or  later,  it  appears  very  indifferent. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  the  w^eld,  which  I made 
use  of  twice,  and  suppressed  the  two  other  times, 
and  of  pearl-ashes,  which  I added  in  a small  quan- 
tity in  the  small  pastel  vat,  and  suppressed  in  the 
woad  vatr  In  short,  I believe,  and  it  appears  to 
me  to  a demonstration,  that  the  greatest  regard  is 
to  be  had  to  the  proper  distribution  of  the  lime, 
throughout  the  whole  course  of  the  working  of 
the  vats,  either  to  set  them  at  work,  or  to  re-heat 
them.  I must  also  add,  that  when  a woad  vat  is 
set  to  work,  she  cannot  be  too  often  inspected 
into  to  know  her  state;  for  if  there  are  some  that 
are  backward  (which  is  attributed  to  the  weakness 
of  the  w^oad)  there  are  also  others  that  very  quick- 
ly come  to  work.  I have  seen  a middling  one 
of  seventy  pounds  of  woad,  poisoned  ; beoc  use 
the  woad  man  neglected  to  inspect  her  as  oiten  as 
she  required,  and  she  had  been  two  h(.urs  fit  to 
work  before  he  discovered  it  ; ihe  grounds  v/cre 
entirely  come  up  to  the  surface  of  the  liquor,  and 
the  whole  had  a very  sour  smell ; ii  was  not  pos  • 
sible  to  bring  her  back,  and  they  were  obliged  to 


49 


fiing  her  away,  as  she  would  in  a short  time  have 
contracted  a ibeted  smell.  The  retarding  of  the 
action  of  the  vat  may  also  proceed  from  the  tem- 
perature of  the  air  ; for  the  vat  cools  a great  deal 
sooner  in  winter  than  in  summer  ; therefore  it 
becomes  necessary  to  watch  it  attentively,  though 
commonly  they  are  fourteen  or  fifteen  hours  be- 
fore they  come  to  work. 

1 shall  endeavour  to  explain,  in  the  sequel,  how 
the  colouring  part  of  this  ingredient,  so  necessa- 
ry in  dicing,  displays  itself  ; but  I must  first  of 
all  speak  of  vats  which  are  prepared  from  in- 
digo, 

CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  INDIGO  VAT. 

Process  of  making  i n d i g o m America; 

INDIGO  is  the  fecula  of  a plant  named  nlll  or 
anil ; to  make  it,  three  vats  are  placed  the  one 
over  the  other,  in  form  of  a cascade  : in  the  first, 
called  the  steeper,  the  plant  is  put  in  with  its  leaves, 
bark  and  flowers,^  and  filled  with  w ater  ; some 
^ time  alter,  the  whple  ferments,  the  w’ater  grows 
intensely  hot,  thickens,  aiid  becomes  of  a blue 
colour  bordering  on  the  violet ; the  plant,  accord- 
ing to  the  opinion  ofsorr-e,  deposing  all  itssahs,and 
according  to  others,  all  its  substance.  In  this  state, 

1 of  Sargussa,  near  tlie  town  of  AmadabaC  the  Tndian?  only 

. ose  the  leaves  of  the  Anil;  they  fling  away  the  rest  of  the  plant.  The  best 
5 incligo  coruee  from  thence. 

; E 

1 

I 


50 


the  cocks  of  the  steeper  are  turned, and  all  the  water 
let  out  stained  with  the  colouring  parts  of  the  plant 
into  the  second, called  the  beater  ; because  this  wa- 
ter is  beat  by  a mill  or  a machine  that  has  long 
sticks,  to  condense  the  substance  of  the  indigo, 
and  precipitate  it  to  the  bottom.  By  this  means  j 
the  water  becomes  clear  and  colourless,  like  com- 
mon water  ; then  the  cocks  are  turned,  that  the 
’ivater  may  run  off  from  the  surface  of  the  blue 
sediment  ; after  which,  other  cocks  are  turned 
that  are  at  the  bottom,  that  all  the  fecula  may  fall 
into  the  third  vat  called  the  reposer,  for  it  is  there 
the  indigo  remains  to  dry  ; it  is  then  taken  out 
to  be  made  into  cakes,  &c.  See  on  this  subject, 
Histoire  des  Antilles^  pare  le  Pere  Labat. 

At  Pondicherry,  on  the  coast  of  Coromandel, 
there  are  two  kinds  of  indigo,  the  one  a great  deal 
finer  than  the  other  ; the  best  is  seldom  used  but 
to  lustre  their  silks,  the  inferior  in  dicing.  They 
augment  in  price,  according  to  their  quality  ; 
there  is  some  which  cost  from  15  pagodas  the  bar  I 
{which  weighs  48  pounds)  to  200  pagodas.  The 
most  beautiful  is  prepared  nigh  Agra,  There  is 
also  a very  good  kind  that  comes  from  Masilupa- 
tan  and  Ay  anon,  where  the  East- India  company 
have  a factory.  At  Chandernagor  it  is  called  nil 
when  it  is  prepared  and  cut  to  pieces.  The  indi- 
go of  Java  is  the  best  of  all  ; it  is  also  the  dearest, 
and  consequently  few  diers  use  it.  Good  indigo 
ought  to  be  so  light  as  to  float  on  the  water  ; — ! 
the  more  it  sinks,  the  more  it  may  be  sus-. 
pected  of  being  adulterated  by  a mixture  of 
earth,  cinders,  or  pounded  slates.  It  must  be  of 
a deep  blue,  bordering  on  the  violet,  brilliant,  live-  , 
ly,  and  shining  ; it  must  be  finer  within,  and  ap* 
pear  of  a shining  hue.  Its  .goodness  is  tried  ^ ] 


51 


dissolving  it  in  a glass  of  water  ; if  it  be  un mix- 
ed and  well  prepared,  it  will  dissolve  entirely  ; if 
sophisticated,  the  foreign  matter  will  sink  to  the 
bottom.  Another  method  of  trying  it  is  by  burn- 
ing ; good  indigo  burns  entirely  away,  and  when 
adulterated,  the  mixture  remains  after  the  indigo 
is  consumed. 

Powdered  indigo  is  much  more  subject  to  adul- 
teration than  that  which  is  in  cakes  ; for  it  is  a 
difficult  matter  that  sand,  powdered  slates,  &c. 
should  unite  so  as  not  to  form  together  in  different 
places,  layers  of  different  matters  j and,  in  this 
case,  by  breaking  the  lump  indigo,  it  is  easily  dis- 
covered. 

Method  of  Working  the  Indigo  Fat. 

There  are  several  methods  of  preparing  the  in- 
digo vat  ; 1 tried  all  those  I knew,  and  they  all 
succeeded.  I shall  describe  them  after  the  most 
exact  manner,  beginning  with  that  which  is  the 
most  in  use,  and  almost  the  only  one  known  at 
Paris. 

It  is  a vat  which  is  about  five  feet  in  height,  two 
feet  in  diameter,  and  becomes  narrower  towards  the 
bottom  ; she  is  surrounded  with  a wall  that  leaves 
a space  round  her,  which  serves  to  hold  embers . 
In  a vat  of  this  size,  two  pounds  of  indigo  may  at 
least  be  used,  and  five  or  six  for  the  greatest  pro- 
portion. To  set  a vat  of  tw^o  pounds  of  indigo  in 
such  a vessel  that  may  contain  about  fourscore 
quarts,  about  sixty  quarts  of  river  water  are  set  to 
boll  in  a copper  for  the  space  of  half  an  hour,  with 
two  pounds  of  pearl  ashes,  two  ounces  of  madder, 
and  a handful  of  bran  ; during  this,  the  indigo  is 
prepared  after  the  following  manner  ; 


52 


Two  pounds  of  it  are  weighed  out,  and  cast  in- 
to a pail  of  cold  water  to  separate  the  earthy  parts. 
The  water  is  afterwards  poured  off  by  inclination, 
and  the  indigo  well  ground  ; a little  warm  water 
is  put  into  it,  shaking  it  from  side  to  side  ; it  is 
poured  by  inclination  into  another  vessel  ; what 
remains  is  still  ground,  and  fresh  water  put  in  to 
carry  off  the  finest  parts,  and  thus  continued  till 
all  the  indigo  is  reduced  to  a powder,  fine  enough 
to  be  raised  by  the  water.  This  is  ail  the  prep- 
aration it  undergoes.  Then  the  liquor  which  has 
boiled  in  the  copper  with  the  grounds  are  pour- 
ed into  the  high  and  narrow  vat,  as  likewise  the 
indigo  ; the  whole  is  then  raked  with  a small 
rake,  the  vat  is  covered,  and  embers  placed  round  j 
her.  If  this  work  w^s  begun  in  the  afternoon,  a 
few  embers  are  added  at  night  ; the  same  is  re- 
peated next  day  morning  and  night.  I'he  vat  is 
also  lightly  raked  twice  the  second  day  ; the  third 
j^ay,  theembers  are  continued  to  be  put  round,  to 
keep  up  the  heat  of  the  vat ; she  is  raked  twuce  in 
the  day  : about  this  time,  a shining  copper  co- 
loured skin  begins  to  appear  on  the  surface  of  the 
♦ liquor,  and  appears  as  if  it  was  broken  or  cracked 
in  several  places.  The  fourth  day,  by  continuing 
the  fire  this  skin  or  pelicle  is  more  formed  and 
closer;  the  flurry,  wdwch  rises  in  raking  the  vat, 
appears,  and  the  liquor  becomes  of  a deep  green. 

When  the  liquor  is  in  this  state,  it  is  a sign  that 
it  is  time  to  fill  the  vat.  For  this  purpose  a fresh 
liquor  is  made,  by  putting  into  a copper  about 
twenty  quarts  of  water,  w ith  one  pound  of  pearl 
ashes,  a handful  of  bran,  and  half  an  ounce  of 
madder.  This  is  boiled  a quarter  of  an  hour,  and 
the  vat  is  served  with  it ; she  is  then  raked,  and 


53 


causes  a great  quantity  of  flurry  to  rise,  and  the 
vat  comes  to  work  the  next  day  ; this  is  known 
by  the  quantity  of  flurry  witli  which  she  is  cover- 
ed by  the  skin  or  copper-scaly  crust  which  swims 
on  the  liquor,  which,  although  it  appears  of  a 
blue  brown,  is  nevertheless  green  underneath. 

This  vat  was  much  longer  coming  to  its  colour 
than  the  others,  because  the  fire  was  too  strong 
the  second  day,  otherwise  she  would  have  been 
fit  to  work  two  days  sooner*  This  did  no  other 
damage  but  retarded  her,  and  the  day  she  came  to 
work,  we  dipt  in  serges  weighing  thirteen  or  four- 
teen pounds.  As  this  caused  her  to  lose  her 
strength,  and  the  liquor  being  diminished  by  thc. 
pieces  of  stuff'  that  had  been  died  in  her,  she  was 
served  in  the  afternoon  with  fresh  liquor,  made 
with  one  pound  of  pearl-ashes,  half  an  ounce  of 
madder,  and  a handful  of  bran ; the  whole  was  boiled 
together  in  a copper  for  a quarter  of  an  hour  ; the 
vat  being  served  with  it  she  was  raked,  covered 
and  a few  embers  put  round.  She  may  be  pre- 
served after  this  manner  several  days,  and  when 
she  is  wanted  to  work,  she  must  be  raked  over 
night,  and  a little  fire  placed  about  her. 

When  there  is  occasion  tore„heat,  and  add  in- 
digo to  this  kind  of  vat,  two- thirds  of  the  liquor 
(which  then  is  no  more  green,  but  of  a blue 
brown  and  almost  black)  is  put  into  a copper; 
when  it  is  ready  to  boil,  all  the  scum  that  is  form- 
ed  at  the  top  is  taken  off  with  a sieve  ; it  is  after-, 
wards  made  to  boil,  and  two  handfuls  of  bran,  a 
quarter  of  a pound  of  madder,  and  two  pounds  of 
pearl-ashes  are  added.  The  fire  is  then  removed 
from  the  copper,  and  a little  cold  water  cast  int© 
it  to  stop  the  boil ; after  which  the  whole  is  put 
E2 


54 


into  the  vat,  with  one  pound  of  powdered  indigo, 
diluted  in  a portion  of  the  liquor  as  before  related  ; 
after  this  the  vat  is  raked,  covered,  and  some  fire 
put  round  ; the  next  day  she  is  fit  to  work. 

When  the  indigo  vat  has  been  re  heated  several 
times,  it  is  necessary  to  empty  her  entirely,  and  to 
set  a fresh  one,  or  she  will  not  give  a lively  die  ; 
when  she  is  too  old  and  stale,  the  liquor  is  not  of 
so  fine  a green  as  at  first. 

I put  several  other  vats  to  work  after  the  same 
method,  with  different  quantities  of  indigo,  from 
one  pound  to  six  ; always  observing  to  augment 
or  diminish  the  other  ingredients  in  proportion, 
but  always  one  pound  of  pearl-ashes  to  each  pound 
of  indigo.  1 have  since  made  other  experiments, 
which  proved  to  me  that  this  proportion  was  not 
absolutely  necessary  ; and  I make  no  doubt  but 
that  several  other  means  might  be  found  to  make 
the  indigo  come  to  as  perfect  a colour.  I shall, 
nevertheless^  proceed  to  some  other  observations 
on  this  vat. 

Of  all  those  I set  to  work,  after  the  manner  de- 
scribed, one  only  failed  me,  and  that  by  neglecting 
to  put  fire  round  her  the  second  day.  She  never 
came  to  a proper  colour  ; powdered  arsenic  was 
put  in  to  no  effect ; red-hot  bricks  were  also  plun- 
ged in  at  different  times  ; the  liquor  turned  of  a 
greenish  hue,  but  never  came  to  the  proper  col- 
our ; and  having  attempted  several  other  means 
without  success,  or  without  being  able  to  find  out 
the  cause  of  her  not  succeeding,!  caused  the  liquor 
to  be  emptied  and  cast  away. 

All  the  other  accidents  that  have  happened  me 
in  conducting  the  indigo  vat,  have  only  lengthened 
the  operation ; so  that  this  process  may  be  looked 


55 


upon  as  ver^  easy  when  compared  to  that  of  the 
woad  vat.  I have  also  made  several  experiments 
on  both,  in  which  my  chief  view  was  to  shorten 
the  time  of  the  common  preparation  ; but  not  meet- 
ing with  the  desired  success,  I shall  not  relate 
them. 

The  liquor  of  the  indigo  vat  is  not  exactly  like 
that  of  the  wmad  ; its  surface  is  of  a blue  brown, 
covered  v^ith  coppery  scales,  and  the  under  part 
of  a beautiful  green.  he  stulf  or  wool  died  in 
this  is  green  when  taken  cut,  and  becomes  blue  a 
moment  after.  We  have  already  seen  that  the 
same  happens  to  the  stuff'  died  in  tlie  woad  vat 
but  it  is  remarkable^  that  the  liquor  of  the  last  is 
not  green,  and  yet  produces  on  the  woad  the  same 
effect  as  the  other,  it  must  also  be  observed, 
that  if  the  liquor  of  tlie  indigo  vat  be  removed  out 
of  the  vessel  in  which  it  was  contained,  and  if  too 
long  exposed  to  the  air,  it  looses  its  green  and  all 
its  quality,  so  that,  although  it  gives  a blue  col- 
our, that  colour  is  not  lasting. 

I shall  examine  this  more  particularly  in  the  se- 
quel, and  endeavour  to  give  the  chymical  theory 
of  this  change. 

CHAPTER  V. 


THE  COLD  VAT  WITH  URINE. 

A VAT  is  also  prepared  with  urine>  which 
yields  its  colour  cold,  and  is  worked  cold  ; for 
this  purpose  four  pounds  of  indigo  are  powdered, 
which  is  to  be  digested  on  warm  ashes  twenty  four 


liours,  in  four  quarts  of  vinegar  ; if  it  is  not  then 
well  dissolved,  it  must  be  ground  again  with  the 
liquor,  and  urine  is  to  be  added  little  by  little,  with 
half  a pound  of  madder,  which  must  be  well  dilu- 
ted by  stirring  the  liquor  with  a stick  ; when  this 
preparation  is  made,  it  is  poured  into  a vessel  fill, 
ed  with  250  quarts  of  urine  ; it  matters  not  wheth- 
er  it  be  fresh  or  stale  ; the  whole  is  well  stirred 
and  raked  together  night  and  morning  for  eight 
days,  or  till  the  vat  appears  green  at  the  surface 
when  raked,  or  that  she  makes  flurry  as  the  com- 
mon vat  ; she  is  then  fit  to  work,  without  more 
trouble  than  previously  raking  her  two  or  three 
hours  before.  This  kind  of  vat  is  extremely  con- 
venient, for  when  once  set  to  work,  she  remains 
good  till  she  be  entirely  drawn,  that  is,  till  the  in- 
digo has  given  all  its  colour  ; thus  she  may  be 
worked  at  all  times,  whereas  the  common  vat  must 
be  prepared  the  day  before. 

This  vat  may  at  pleasure  be  made  more  or  less 
considerable  by  augmenting  or  diminishing  the 
ingredients  in  proportion  to  the  indigo  intended  to 
be  made  use  of ; so  that  to  each  pound  of  indigo 
add  a quart  of  vinegar,  two  ounces  of  madder,  and 
sixty  or  seventy  quarts  of  urine.  This  vat  comes 
sooner  to  work  in  summer  than  in  winter,  and 
may  be  brought  sooner  to  work  by  warming  some 
of  the  liquor  without  boiling,  and  returning  it  in- 
to the  vat  ; this  process  is  so  simple  that  it  is  al- 
most impossible  to  fail. 

When  the  indigo  is  quite  spent,  and  gives  no 
more  die,  the  vat  may  be  charged  again  without 
setting  a new  one.  For  this  purpose,  indigo  must 
be  dissolved  in  vinegar,  adding  madder  in  pro- 
portioQ  to  the  indigo^  pouring  Uie  whole  into  the 


r 

B7 

^ vat,  and  raking  her  night  and  morning,  and  eve- 
ning as  at  first,  she  will  be  as  good  as  before  ; 

I however  she  must  not  be  charged  this  way  above 
? four  or  five  times,  for  the  ground  of  the  madder 
t and  indigo  would  dull  the  liquor,  and  in  conse- 
quence render  the  colour  less  bright  I did  not 
i try  this  method,  and  therefore  do  not  answer  for 
I the  success  ; but  here  follows  another  with  urine 
t which  gives  a very  lasting  blue,  and  which  I pre- 
pared. 

Hot  Fat  with  Urine, 

A pound  of  indigo  was  steeped  twenty-four  hours 
in  four  quarts  of  clear  urine,  and  when  the  urine 
became  very  blue,  it  was  run  through  a fine  sieve 
into  a pail,  and  tlie  indigo  which  could  not  pass, 
and  which  remained  in  the  sieve,  was  put  with  four 
quarts  of  fresh  urine  ; this  was  so  continued  till 
all  the  indigo  had  passed  through  the  sieve  with 
the  urine  ; this  lasted  about  two  hours.  At  four 
in  the  afternoon  three  hogslteads  of  urine  wei»e  put 
into  the  copper,  and  it  was  made  as  hot  as  could 
be  without  boiling.  The  urine  cast  up  a thick 
scum,  which  was  taken  up  with  a broom  and  cast 
out  of  the  copper.  It  was  thus  scummed  at  differ- 
enr  times,  till  there  only  remained  a white  and  light 
scum  ; the  urine,  by  this  meane  sufficiently  purL 
fied  and  ready  to  boil,  was  poured  into  the  wood-, 
en  vat,  and  the  indigo  prepa  ed  as  above,  put  in  ; 
the  vat  was  then  raked,  the  better  to  mix  the  in- 
digo with  the  urine  ; soon  after,  a liquor  was  put 
into  the  vat  made  of  two  quarts  of  lu  ine,  a pound 
of  roach-alum,  and  a pound  of  red  tartar.  To 
make  this  liquor,  the  alum  and  tartar  were  first 


58 


put  into  the  mortar,  and  reduced  to  a fine  powder, 
upon  which  the  two  quarts  of  urine  were  poured, 
and  the  whole  rubbed  together,  till  this  mixture, 
TV’hich  rose  all  of  a sudden,  ceased  to  ferment  : it 
was  then  put  into  the  vat,  which  was  strongly  raked ; 
and  being  covered  with  its  wooden  cover,  she 
was  left  in  that  state  all  night  ; the  next  morning 
the  liquor  was  of  a very  green  colour  ; this  was  a 
sign  she  was  come  to  work,  and  that  she  might 
have  been  worked  if  thought  proper,  but  nothing 
was  died  in  her  ; for  all  that  was  done,  was  only, 
•properly  speaking  the  first  preparation  of  the  vat, 
and*  the  indigo  which  had  been  put  in  was  only  in- 
tended to  feed  the  urine,  so  that  to  finish  the  prep- 
aration the  vat  was  left  to  rest  for  two  days  always 
covered,  that  she  might  cool  the  slower  ; then  a 
second  pound  of  indigo  was  prepared,  ground  with 
purified  urine  as  before.  About  four  in  the  after- 
noon all  the  liquor  of  the  vat  was  put  into  the  cop- 
per ; it  was  heated  as  much  as  possible  without 
boiling  ; some  thick  scum  formed  on  it  which 
was  taken  off,  and  the  liquor  being  ready  to  boil 
was  returned  into  the  vat.  At  the  same  time  the 
ground  indigo  W’as  put  in  with  a liquor  made  as 
above  of  one  pound  of  alum,  one  pound  of  tartar, 
and  two  quarts  of  urine,  a fresh  pound  of  madder 
was  also  added  ; then  the  vat  was  raked,  well  cov- 
ered, and  left  so  the  whole  night.  The  next  morn- 
ing she  was  come  to  work,  the  liquor  being  very 
hot,  and  of  a very  fine  green,  she  was  worked  with 
wool  in  the  fleece,  of  which  thirty  pounds  were 
put  into  the  vat.  It  was  well  extended  and  work- 
ed between  the  hands,  that  the  liquor  might  the 
more  easily  soak  into  it  ; then  it  was  left  at  rest 
for  an  hour  or  two,  according  as  lighter  or  deeper 
blues  are  required. 


59 


All  this  time  the  vat  was  well  covered,  that  it 
might  tiie  better  retain  its  heat,  for  the  hotter  she 
is,  tlie  better  she  dies, and  when  cold  acts  no  more, 
\Vhen  the  wool  came  to  the  shade  of  the  blue  re- 
quired, it  was  taken  out  of  the  vat  in  parcels  about 
the  bigness  of  a man’s  head,  twisted  and  wrung 
over  the  liquor  as  they  were  taken  out,  till  from 
green,  as  they  w'ere  coming  out  of  the  vat,  they  be- 
came blue.  This  change  from  green  to  blue  is 
made  in  three  or  four  minutes.  These  thirty 
pounds  being  thus  died,  and  the  green  taken  off, 
the  vat  w as  raked,  and  suffered  to  rest  for  tvro 
hours,  being  ail  that  time  w’ell  covered  ; then  thir- 
ty pounds  more  were  put  in,  which  was  well  ex- 
tended with  the  hands,  the  vat  was  covered,  and 
in  four  or  five  hours  this  wool  was  died  at  the 
height  or  shade  of  the  first  thirty  pounds  ; it  was 
then  taken  out  in  heaps,  and  the  green  taken  off  as 
before.  This  done,  the  vat  had  still  some  little 
heat,  but  not  sufficient  to  die  fresh  wool ; for  when 
she  has  not  a sufficient  heat,  the  colour  she  gives 
would  neither  be  uniform  nor  lasting,  so  that  It 
must  be  re- heated,  and  fresh  indigo  put  in  as  be- 
fore. This  may  be  done  as  often  as  judged  prop- 
er, for  this  vat  does  not  spoil  by  age,  provided, that 
whilst  she  is  kept  without  working,  a little  air  is 
let  into  her. 

Re  .heating  of  the  Vat  with  Urine. 

About  four  in  the  afternoon,  the  whole  liquor 
•f  the  vat  was  put  into  a copper,  and  a sufficient 
quantity  of  urine  added  to  this  liquor,  to  make  up 
the  dificiency  that  had  been  lost  by  evaporation 
during  the  preceding  work.  This  filling  common- 


60 


ly  takes  eight  or  nine  pails  of  urine  ; the  liquor  was 
then  heated  and  scummed  as  before,  and  when 
ready  to  boil,  returned  into  the  vat  with  a pound 
of  indigo,  and  the  liquor  above  described,  consist- 
ing of  alum  and  tartar,  of  each  one  pound,  madder 
one  pound  and  two  quarts  of  urine.  After  raking 
the  vat  well,  and  covering  her,  she  was  left  to  rest 
the  whole  night. 

The  next  day  she  came  to  work,  and  sixty 
pounds  of  wool  were  died  in  her  at  twice  as  before, 
it  is  after  this  manner  all  the  re-heatings  must  be 
done  the  evening  before  the  dieing,  and  these  re- 
heatings may  extend  to  infinity,  as  the  vat,  once 
set  serves  a long  time. 

I must  here  observe,  that  the  greater  the  quan- 
tity of  indigo  put  in  at  once  is, the  deeper  the  blue; 
thus  instead  of  one  pound,  four,  five  or  six  pounds 
may  be  put  in  together  ; nor  is  it  necessary  to 
augment  the  dose  of  alum,  tartar,  or  madder,  of 
which  ingredients  the  liquor  is  composed  ; but 
if  the  vessel  hold  more  than  three  hogsheads,  then 
the  dose  of  these  must  be  augmented  in  propor- 
tion. The  vat  I have  mentioned  held  three;  and 
was  too  small  to  die  at  one  time  a sufficient  quan- 
tity of  wool  to  make  a piece  of  cloth,  viz  fifty  or 
sixty  pounds  ; for  this  purpose  it  would  be  neces- 
sary that  the  vat  should  contain  at  least  six  hogs- 
heads, and  from  this  a double  advantage  wf  iild 
arise.  1.  All  the  wool  would  be  died  in  three  or 
four  hours,  whereas  dieing  it  at  twice,  it  takes 
eight  or  ten  hours.  2.  At  the  end  of  three  hours, 
in  which  time  the  woe]  would  be  died,  taken  out, 
and  the  green  taken  off,  the  vat  being  vet  very  hot ; 
after  raking  and  leiting  her  rest  a couple  of  h<nirs, 
the  same  wool  might  be  returned  into  her,  which 


61 


would  heighten  the  colour  very  much  for  all  wool 
that  has  been  died,  aired,  and  the  green  taken  off, 
always  takes  a finer  colour  than  new  or  white  wool, 
which  might  remain  twenty  hours  in  the  val. 

Great  care  must  be  taken  to  air  and  take  off  the 
green  of  the  died  parcels  of  wool  that  are  taken 
out  of  the  vat  hastily,  that  the  air  may  strike  them 
equally,  without  which  the  blue  colour  will  not  be 
uniform  throughoutthe  wool. 

There  are  manufacturers  w ho  say  that  cloths, 
whose  wool  has  received  this  ground  of  blue  w ith 
urine,  cannot  be  perfectly  scoured  at  the  ful- 
ling mill,  even  at  twice  ; others  vouch  the  con, 
trary,and  I am  of  opinion  the  last  speak  the  truth; 
yet,  if  the  first  are  right,  it  might  be  suspected 
that  the  animal  oil  of  the  urine  becoming  resinous 
by  drying  on  the  wool,  or  by  uniting  with  the  oil 
with  w'hich  the  wool  is  moistened  ; for  its  other 
preparations  more  strongly  resist  the  fuller’s  earth 
and  soap,  than  a simple  oil  by  expression.  To 
remedy  this,  the  wool  ought  to  be  w’ell  washed  in 
a running  water  after  it  is  died,  twisted,  aired,  the 
green  taken  off,  and  cooled.  Be  it  as  it  may,  the 
woacl  vat  will  always  be  preferred  in  the  great  die 
houses  to  those  kinds  of  indigo  vats  made  with 
urine  or  otherwise  : and  for  this  reason,  that 
with  a good  woad  vat,  and  an  ingenious  woad- 
man,  n;uch  more  work  is  despatched  than  with 
all  the  other  biue  vats. 

I have  described  the  indigo  vats  in  this  treatise, 
not  with  a design  to  introduce  them  in  the  large 
manufactories,  but  to  procure  ea-v  means  to  the 
diers  in  small,  and  small  manufactories,  to  whom 
I wish  this  work  may  be  of  as  much  advantage  as 
to  the  others.  I shall  therefore  here  describe  a 

F 


62 


Gold  vat,  which  may  be  used  with  advantage  by 
those  who  die  small  stuffs,  in  whose  composition 
thread  and  cotton  enter.  The  colour  is  lasting, 
but  cannot  be  made  use  of  for  wool. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE  COLD  INDIGO  VAT  WITHOUT  URINE. 

IT  is  customary  at  Rouen,  and  in  some  other 
cities  of  France,  to  die  in  a cold  indigo  vat,  differ, 
cut  from  that  described  in  the  foregoir.g  chapter, 
and  more  convenient,  as  she  comes  to  work  soon- 
er, and  has  no  bad  smell.  She  is  prepared  after 
the  following  manner. 

Dissolve  three  pounds  of  indigo  powdered  fine- 
ly,in  a glazed  earthen  pot,  with  three  pints  of  strong 
soap  boiler’s  lees,  which  is  a strong  lee  of  soda 
and  quick  lime.  The  indigo  takes  about  twenty- 
four  hours  dissolving,  and  when  perfectly  so,  re- 
mains suspended  in  the  liquor,  thickens  it,  and 
gives  it  the  consistence  of  an  extract.  At  the  same 
time,  three  pounds  of  sifted  slacked  lime  must  be 
put  into  another  vessel,  with  six  quarts  of  water, 
and  boiled  together  for  a quarter  of  an  hour;  when 
settled, the  clear  is  poured  off  by  inclination.  Then 
three  pounds  of  green  copperas  are  to  be  dissolv- 
ed in  this  clear  lime  water,  and  the  whole  let  to 
rest  till  the  next  day.  Three  hundred  quarts  of 
water  are  then  put  in  a large  deal  vessel  (no  other 
wood  but  deal  will  do, for  it  would  dull  and  black- 
en the  die,  especially  if  it  was  oak.)  The  two  so- 
lutions which  were  made  the  day  before  are  put 


63 


in,  the  vat  is  well  raked,  and  suiFered  to  rest.  I 
have  seen  her  come  to  colour  in  two  hours  after, 
but  this  never  fails  to  happen  the  next  day  at  far- 
thest. She  makes  a great  dealjof flurry,  and  the  li- 
quor becomes  of  a fine  green  colour,  but  a little 
more  on  the  yellow  than  the  green  of  the  common 
vat. 

When  this  vat  begins  to  spend  herself,  she  is  to 
be  quickened  without  putting  in  fresh  indigo,  by 
making  a small  liquor  with  two  pounds  of  green 
copperas,  dissolved  in  a sufficient  quantity  of  limO 
water  ; but  when  the  indigo  has  spent  all  its  col- 
our, she  must  be  re-charged  by  putting  in  fresh, 
dissolved  in  such  a lee  as  has  been  described* 

Water  of  old  Iron. 

Some  diers  put  into  this  vat  a little  water  of  old 
iron.  It  is  a mixture  of  vinegar  and  water,  in  which 
some  old  iron  nails  have  been  put  to  rust.  They 
say  this  makes  the  colour  more  lasting,  but  I have 
experienced,  that  it  is  sufficiently  so  without  this, 
and  as  good  as  all  the  other  blues,  of  which  I have 
before  given  the  preparation. 

I set  several  small  vats  ; those  that  required  to 
be  heated  were  put  in  a bath  or  sand-heat,  in  small 
glass  bodies ; and'  those  that  are  worked  cold  were 
left  without  doing  anv  thing  to  them.  These  last 
are  easy,  being  sufficient  to  diminish  the  quantity 
of  liquor,  and  of  ail  the  other  ingredients,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  vessel  that  is  to  be  set,  and  it  is  al- 
most impossible  to  fail. 

As  to  that  which  I first  described,  which  is  set 
hot,  as  it  is  somewhat  more  difficult,  and  that  sev- 


64 


era!  might  be  willing  to  try  the  experiment, 
which  in  itself  is  curious,  and  neither  requires  ex- 
pense nor  apparatus  to  perform  in  small,  I shall 
give  the  process  of  one  which  succeeded  perfects 
ly,  and  in  which  I had  designedly  put  a greater 
quantity  of  indigo  than  usually  is  done  in  the  com- 
mon proportion. 

I boiled  two  quarts  of  water  with  tw'o  scruples 
of  madder  and  four  ounces  of  pearl-ashes;  after 
boiling  a quarter  of  an  hour,  I put  it  into  a body, 
which  held  about  four  quarts,  and  had  been  previ- 
ously heated  with  warm  water,  and  in  which  I 
had  put  a quarter  of  a handful  of  bran.  The  whole 
was  wtII  stirred  With  a deal  spatula,  the  glass  body 
put  on  a very  gentle  sand-heat,  which  only  kept 
it  warm,  and  pretty  near  the  same  degree  of  heat 
that  is  required,  for  the  common  indigo  vat. 

The  fire  was  kept  all  night,  and  the  next  day 
under  the  sand- heat,  without  any  sensible  change* 
happening ; it  was  only  stirred  twice  a day.  The 
next  day  some  flurry  began  to  rise,  and  a coppery- 
coloured  skin  formed  on  the  surface,  and  the  li- 
quor was  of  a green  brown  ; it  was  then  filled  up 
with  a liquor  made  of  a quart  of  water,  two  ounc- 
es of  pearl-ashes,  and  a little  bran.  I mixed  the 
whole  together,  then  let  it  rest.  It  came  perfectly 
well  to  colour,  and  the  next  day  I died  several 
middling  pieces  of  stuffs  and  wool.  These  small 
vessels  may  be  re-heated  and  charged  again  as  ea- 
sily as  a large  one. 

I think  1 have  nothing  more  to  say  concerning 
the  method  of  setting  to  work  all  these  kinds  of 
blue  vats ; yet  I am  persuaded  that  there  are  sev- 
eral other  means  practised  in  different  places,  and 


65 


that  it  is  even  easy  to  contrive  new  ones  ; howev- 
er, I can  affirm  that  all  those  which  I havedescribed 
are  very  sure,  and  that  they  have  all  been  worked 
several  times  with  the  same  success. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


OF  THE  METHOD  OP  DIEING  BLUE. 

WHEN  the  vat  is  once  prepared  and  come  to 
work,  the  dicing  of  w’ool  or  stuffs  is  easy.  Wet 
them  well  in  clear  warm  water,  wringing  and  dip- 
ping them  in  the  vat,  and  keeping  them  in  more  or 
less  time,  according  as  the  colour  is  required  in 
shade.  From  time  to  time  the  stuff  is  aired,  that 
is,  taken  out  of  the  vat  and  wrung,  so  that  the  li- 
quor  may  fall  back  into  the  vat,  and  exposed  a lit« 
tic  to  the  air,  which  takes  off  (he  green  in  one  or 
two  minutes  ; for  let  what  vat  soever  be  used,  the 
stuff  is  always  green  at  its  coming  out,  and  only 
takes  the  blue  colour  in  proportion  as  the  air  acts 
upon  it.  It  is  also  very  necessary  to  let  the  green 
go  off  before  it  is  returned  into  the  liquor  to  re- 
ceive  a second  shade,  as  being  then  better  able  to 
judge  of  its  colour,  and  know  if  it  is  requisite  to 
give  what  is  called  one  or  several  turnings. 

It  is  an  ancient  custom  among  diers  to  reckon 
thirteen  shades  of  blue  from  the  deepest  to  the 
lightest.  Although  their  denominations  be  some- 
what arbitrary,  and  that  it  is  impossible  exactly  to 
fix  the  just  passage  from  one  to  tiie  other,  I shall 
notwithstanding  give  the  names.  They  are  as  fol- 
lows,beginning  with  the  lightest : miiWblue, pearl- 


66 


blue,  pale-blue,  flat-blue,  middling-blue,  sky-blue,  ■ 
queen’s-blue,  turkish-blue,  watchet-blue,  garter- 
blue,  mazareen-blue,  deep-blue,  and  very  deep- 
blue. 

These  distinctions  are  not  equally  received  by 
all  diers,  nor  in  all  provinces,  but  the  most  part 
are  known  ; and  it  is  the  only  method  that  can 
be  taken  to  give  an  idea  of  the  same  colour, 
whose  only  difference  is  in  being  more  or  less 
deep. 

It  is  easy  to  make  deep  blues.  I have  already 
said,  that  to  effect  this,  the  wool  or  stuffs  are  to  be 
returned  several  times  into  the  vat  ; but  it  is  not  j 
so  in  respect  to  light  blues  ; for  when  the  vat  is 
rightly  come  to  work,  the  wooloan  seldom  be  left 
in  short  time  enough,  but  that  it  takes  more  than 
the  shade  required.  It  often  happens  when  a cer- 
tain quantity  of  wool  is  to  be  dipped,  and  that  it 
cannot  all  be  put  in  at  the  same  time,  that  what 
goes  in  at  first  is  deeper  than  the  other.  There 
are  some  diers  who,  to  obviate  this  inconveniency 
in  making  very  light  blues,  which  they  call  milk 
and  water, take  some  of  the  liquor  of  the  indigo  vat, 
and  dilute  it  m a very  great  quantity  of  luive  uarm 
water  ; but  this  method  is  a bad  one,  for  the  wool 
died  in  this  mixture  has  not  ntar  so  lasting  a col- 
our as  that  died  in  the  vat ; as  the  altering  ingredi- 
ents which  are  put  into  the  vat  with  the  indigo, 
serves  as  much  to  dispose  the  pores  of  the  subject 
which  is  dipped  in,  as  to  the  opening  of  the  col- 
ouring fccula  which  is  to  die  it,  their  concourse 
being;  hecessarv  for  the  adhesion  of  the  colour, 

w*  ^ 

The  best  method  of  making  these  very  light  blues, 
is  to  pass  them  either  in  a woad  or  indigo  vat,  out 
of  which  the  colour  bas  been  worked;  and  begins 


67 


to  cool.  The  woad  vat  is  still  preferable  to  that 
of  the  incligo»  as  it  does  not  die  so  soon. 

The  blues  made  in  vais  that  have  been  worked 
are  duller  than  the  others  ; but  they  ma}  be  pret- 
ty sensibly  roused  by  passing  the  wool  or  stuffs 
in  boiling  water.  This  practice  is  even  necessa- 
ry to  the  perfection  of  all  blue  shades  ; by  this  the 
colour  is  not  only  made  brighter,  but  also  render- 
ed more  secure,  by  taking  off  all  that  is  not  well 
incorporated  with  the  wool ; it  also  prevents  its 
spotting  the  hands  or  linen,  which  commonl}  hap- 
pens, and  the  diers,  to  gain  time,  neglect  this  pre- 
caution. After  the  wool  is  taken  out  of  the  warm 
water,  it  is  necessary  to  wash  it  again  in  the  river, 
or  at  least  in  a sufficient  quantity  of  water  for  the 
carrying  off  all  the  superfluous  loose  die. 

The  best  method  to  render  the  blue  die  bright- 
er, is  by  filling  them  with  a thin  liquor  of  melted 
soap,  and  afterwards  cleansing  them  from  the  soap 
by  warm  water,  and,  if  convenient,  by  rinsing 
them  in  an  old  cochineal  liquor.  This  method 
is  to  be  taken  with  deep  blues  ; but  if  the  same 
was  taken  with  very  light  blues,  they  would  lose 
their  bright  blue  lustre,  and  incline  to  grey. 

I hope  to  have  removed  all  difficulties  on  the  pre- 
paration of  blue,  and  in  the  method  of  clieing  it. 
Some  diers  for  the  sake  of  gain,  spare  the  w oad 
and  indigo,  and  use  for  blue,  orchel  or  logwood, 
and  brazil  ; this  ought  to  be  expressly  forbid, 
though  this  adulterated  blue  is  often  brighter  than 
a lasting  and  legitimate  bine.  1 shall  trke  no- 
tice of  this  in  the  chapters  treating  on  the  lesser 
die. 

1 shall  now  explain  the  theory  of  the  invisible 
change  of  the  blue  die.  This  colour,  which  I 


shall  here  only  consider  in  relation  to  its  use  In  the 
dieing  of  stuffs  of  what  kind  soever,  has  hitherto 
been  extracted  only  from  the  vegetable  world,  and 
it  does  not  appear  that  we  can  hope  to  use  in  this 
art  the  blues  the  painters  employ  : such  are  the 
Prussian  blue,  which  holds  of  the  animal  and  min- 
eral kind  the  azure,  which  is  a vitrified  mineral 
substance  ; the  ultramarine,  which  is  prepared 
from  a hard  stone  ; the  earths  that  have  a blue 
colour,  8tc.  These  matters  cannot,  without  losing 
their  colon*  in  whole  or  in  part,  be  reduced  into 
atoms  sufficiently  minute,  so  as  to  be  suspended 
in  the  saline  liquid,  which  must  penetrate  the  fibres 
of  the  animal  and  vegetable  substances  of  which  i 
stuffs  are  manufactured  ; for  under  this  name  lin- 
en and  cotton  cloths  must  be  comprehended,  as 
well  as  those  wove  of  silk  and  wool. 

Hitherto  we  know  but  of  two  plants  that  yield 
blue  after  their  preparation  : the  one  is  the  isatis 
or  glaustum,  which  is  called  pastel  in  Languedoc, 
and  woad  in  Normandy.  Their  preparation  con- 
sists in  a fermentation  continued  even  to  the  putre- 
faction of  ail  the  parts  of  the  plant,  the  root  excej)t- 
ed  ; and  consequently  in  the  unfolding  of  all  their 
principles  into  a new  combination,  and  fresh  order 
of  these  same  principles,  from  whence  follows  an 
union  of  infinite  fine  particles,  which  applied  to 
any  subject  whatever,  reflects  the  light  on  them 
very  different  from  what  it  would  be,  if  these 
same  particles  were  still  joined  to  those  which  the 
fermentation  has  separated. 

• 1748,  Mods.  Macquer,  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences,  found  the 
saeans  of  using  the  Pi  ussian  blue  to  die  silk  and  cloth,  io  a hiue  whoie 
brigbtaesa  £urpaesed  all  the  blues  hithertokoowa. 


69 


The  other  plant  is  the  anil,  which  is  cultivated 
in  the  East  and  West  Indies,  out  of  which  they 
prepare  that  fecula  that  is  sent  to  Europe  under  the 
name  of  Indigo.  In  the  preparation  of  this  plant 
the  Indians  and  Americans,  more  industrious  than 
ourselves,  have  found  out  the  art  of  separating  on- 
ly  the  colouring  parts  of  the  plant  from  the  useless 
ones  ; and  the  French  and  Spanish  colonies  have 
imitated  them,  and  thereby  made  a considerable 
increase  of  commerce. 

That  the  indigo,  such  as  is  imported  from  A- 
merica,  should  deposite  on  the  wool  or  stuffs  the 
colouring  parts  required  by  the  dier,  it  is  infused 
several  ways,the  process  of  which  we  have  already 
given.  They  may  be  reduced  to  three  ; the  cold 
indigo  vat  may  serve  for  thread  and  cotton  ; those 
that  are  made  use  of  hot,  are  fit  for  stuffs  of  any 
kind  whatever. 

In  the  cold  vat,  the  indigo  is  mixed  with  pearl- 
ashes,  copperas  or  green  vitriol,  lime,  madder  and 
bran.  The  hot  vats  are  either  prepared  with  wa- 
ter or  urine  ; if  with  water,  pearl-ashes,  and  a lit- 
tle madder  must  be  added  : if  with  urine,  alum 
and  tartar  must  be  joined  to  the  indigo.  Both  of 
these  vats,  principally  intended  for  \\  ool,  require  a 
moderate  degree  of  heat,  but  at  the  same  time 
strong  enough  for  the  wool  to  take  a lasting  die, 
I mean  such  as  will  withstand  the  destroying  ac- 
tion of  the  air  and  sun,  the  proof  of  dies. 

I have  prepared,  as  I said  before,  these  three 
vats  in  small,  in  cylindrical  glass  vessels,  exposed 
to  the  light,  in  order  to  see  what  passed  before  the 
infusion  came  to  a colour,  that  is,  w'hether  it  was 
green  beneath  the  flurry  at  the  surface,  which  is  a 
sign  of  internal  fermentation.  I have  said  that  the 


7© 


green  colour  of  the  liquor  is  a condition  absolute- 
ly essential,  and  without  which  the  colour  the  stuff 
would  take  would  not  be  a good  die,  and  would 
almost  entirely  disappear  on  the  least  proofs. 

I shall  now  give  a description  of  the  cold  indi- 
go vat  in  small,  for  the  changes  are  much  better 
seen  in  her,  and  for  this  reason,  that  what  happens 
in  the  two  others  is  not  very  essentially  different. 

It  is  proper  to  take  notice,  that  what  I shall  call 
part^  in  this  observation  of  experiments,  is  a mea- 
sure of  the  weight  of  four  drachms,  of  all  matter 
either  liquid  or  solid,  and  that  it  will  be  this  quan- 
tity that  must  be  supposed,  each  time  that  1 use 
that  word  in  the  detail  of  these  experiments. 

I put  three  hundred  parts  of  water  into  a vessel, 
containing  five  hundred  and  twelve, or  eight  quarts, 
in  which  I dissolved  six  parts  of  copperas,  which  | 
gave  the  liquor  a yellow  die.  Six  parts  of^DOt*  | 
ashes  were  also  dissolved  by  themselves  in  thirty- 
six  parts  of  water.  The  solution  made,  I 
digested  in  it  six  parts,  or  three  ounces,  of  indigo 
of  St  Domingo  well  ground  ; it  was  left  over  a 
very  gentle  fire  three  hours.  The  indigo  swelled 
and  taking  up  a larger  space, rose  from  the  bottom 
of  this  alkaline  liquor,  with  which  it  formed  a kind 
of  thick  syrup,  which  was  blue.  This  was  a 
proof  that  the  indigo  was  only  divided,  but  not  dis- 
solved; for  had  its  solution  been  perfect, that  thick 
liquor  would  have  been  green  instead  of  blue  ; for 
all  liquor  that  has  been  tinged  blue  by  a vegetable 
of  any  kind,  grows  green  on  the  admixion  of  an 
alkaline  salt,  either  concrete  or  in  a liquid  form, 
whether  it  be  a fixed  or  a volatile. 

From  hence  the  reason  is  discovered  why  indi- 
go does  not  die  a stuff  of  a lasting  blue  when  its 


71 


liquor  is  not  green  ; for  its  solution  not  being 
complete,the  alkali  cannot  act  upon  these  first  ele- 
mentary particles  ; as  for  example,  it  acts  on  the 
tincture  of  violets,  which  is  a perfect  solution  of 
the  colouring  parts  of  those  flowers,  which  turns 
green  in  an  instant,  and  on  the  first  contact 
I poured  this  thick  blue  liquor  into  the  solution 
of  vitrioh  and  after  well  shaking  the  mixture,  I 
added  six  parts  of  lime  that  had  been  slacked  in 
the  air  ; it  w^as  cold  weather  when  this  experi- 
ment was  made  ; the  thermometer  was  at  two  de- 
gress under  the  freezing  point,  which  was  a 
cause  that  this  was  near  four  days  coming  to  a co- 
lour, and  the  fermentation,  which  must  naturally 
ensue  in  all  vitriolic  liquor,  where  an  alkaline  salt 
has  been  put  in,  such  as  pot-ashes,  and  an  alka- 
line earth,  was  carried  on  with  so  much  slowness 
that  very  little  scum  appeared  on  the  surface  of 
the  liquor.  In  a hot  season,  and  by  making  use 
of  lime  newly  calcined,  these  kind  of  vats  are 
sometimes  fit  to  die  in  four  hours.  Each  time 
I stirred  the  mixture  wdth  a spatula,  I observed 
that  the  iron  of  the  vitriol  or  copperas  was  the 
first  that  precipitated  to  the  bottom  of  the  vessel, 
and  that  the  alkaline  salt  had  precipitated  it, 
to  join  itself  to  the  acid.  Thus,  in  this 
process  of  the  cold  indigo  vat,  a tartar  of  vit- 
riol after  the  manner  of  Tachenius  is  formed  ; 
whereas  by  the  common  method,  of  preparing  this 
neutral  salt,  the  acid  of  vitriol  is  poured  on  a true 
alkaline  salt,  such  as  salt  of  tartar  or  pot-ashes. 
This  again  is  a cireumstanee  that  leads  insensibly 
to  the  theory  of  a good  die.  I desire  the  reader 
to  take  notice  of  this,  as  it  will  occur  in  the  sequel 
<>f  this  observation,  as  well  as  in  other  chapters. 


The  earthy  parts  of  the  lime  precipitated  next 
after  the  iron  ; they  are  easily  distinguished  by 
the  whiteness,  which  are  yet  difficult  to  distinguish 
when  the  colouring  parts  of  the  indigo  are  suffi- 
ciently loosened.  In  short,  under  this  white  earth 
the  fecuia  of  the  indigo  deposits  itstlf,  and  by  de- 
grees  ratifies  in  such  a manner,  that  this  substance 
which  the  first  day  was  only  the  eighth  of  an 
inch  above  the  precipitated  lime,  rose  insensibly 
within  half  an  inch  of  the  surface  of  the  liquor, 
and  the  third  day  grew  so  opaque  and  muddy, 
that  nothing  further  could  be  distinguished. 

This  rarefaction  of  indigo, slow  in  winter,  quick 
in  summer,  and  which  may  be  accelerated  in  win- 
ter by  heating  the  liquor  to  fifteen  or  sixteen  de- 
grees, is  a proof  that  a real  fermentation  happens 
in  the  mixture,  which  opens  the  little  lumps  of  in- 
digo, and  divides  them  into  particles  of  an  ex- 
treme fineness  ; then  their  surfaces  being  multi- 
plied almost  ad  infinitum,  they  are  so  much  the 
more  equally  distributed  in  the  liquor,  which 
deposits  them  equally  on  the  subject  dipped  in  to 
take  the  die. 

If  fermentation  comes  on  hastily,  or  in  a few 
hours,  whether  on  account  of  the  heat  of  the  air, 
or  by  the  help  of  a small  fire,  a great  quantity  of 
flurry  ap])ears  ; it  is  blue,  and  its  reflection  they 
have  also  named  coppery,  because  the  colours  of 
the  rainbow  appear  in  it,  and  the  red  and  yellow 
here  predominate  ; however,  this  pha^uomenon  is 
noi  pecuiiar  to  indigo,  since  the  same  reflection  is 
perceived  in  all  mixtures  that  are  in  actual  fer- 
mentation, and  particularh  in  those  which  contain 
fat  particles  blended  with  salts,  urine,  soot,  and 
several  other  bodies  put  into  fermentation,  show  on 
their  surface  the  same  variegated  colours. 


73 


The  flurry  of  the  indigo  vat  appears  blue,  be- 
cause exposed  to  the  external  air  ; but  if  a small 
: portion  of  the  liquor  which  is  under  it  be  taken 
up  with  a spoon,  it  appears  more  or  less  green  in 
: proportion  as  it  is  filled  with  colouring  particles- 
j In  the  course  of  this  observation,  I shall  show  the 
I reason  of  this  difference,  or,  at  least,  a probable 
explication  of  this  change  of  blue,  which,  as  I 
have  said  before,  is  absolutely  necessary  for  suc^ 

! ceeding  in  the  process  described. 

When  the  vat  is  in  this  state,  it  has  already  been 
; said  that  cotton,  thread,  cloths  wovt  from  them, 

I tkc.  may  be  died  in  her,  and  the  colours  w hich 
i they  take  are  of  the  good  die  ; that  is,  this  cotton 
and  thread  will  maintain  them,  even  after  remain- 
ing a suitable  time  in  a solution  of  white  soap,  ac. 
i tually  boiling.  This  is  the  proof  given  them  pre- 
ferable to  any  other,  because  the  linen  and  cotton 
cloths  must  be  w^ashed  wdth  soap  when  dirty. 

Though  the  indigo  liquor  which  is  in  this  state 
I can  make  a lasting  die  wnthout  the  addition  of  any 
I other  ingredients ; the  diers  who  use  this  cold  vat 
1 add,  as  in  the  other  hot  vats,  a decoction  of  mad- 
I der  and  bran  in  common  water  run  through  a 
i sieve  ; this  is  what  they  call  beven  They  put 
I madder  to  insure,  as  they  say,  the  colour  of  the 
;i  indigo,  because  this  root  affords  a colour  so  ad. 

[I  hesive  that  it  stands  all  proofs  ; they  put  the  bran 
1 to  soften  the  water,  which  they  imagine  generally 
! to  contain  some  portion  of  an  acid  salt,  which, 
according  to  their  opinion,  must  be  deadened. 

This  was  the  opinion  of  French  diers  against  in- 
digo in  the  days  of  Monsieur  Colbert ; and  as  this 
minister  could  not  spare  time  to  see  the  experi- 
I meats  performed  in  his  presence,  cn  the  founda. 

G 


74 


tion  of  this  report,  he  forbade  indigo  to  be  used  a- 
lone.  But  since  the  government  has  been  con- 
vinced, by  new  experiments  made  by  the  late  Mr. 
Dufay,  that  the  stability  of  the  blue  die  of  this  in- 
gredient was  such  as  could  be  desired  ; the  new 
regulation  of  1737  licences  the  diers  to  use  it  alone, 
or  mixed  with  woad  ; so  that  if  they  continue  to 
use  the  madder,  it  is  rather  because  this  root  giv- 
ing a pretty  deep  red,  and  this  red  mixing  with 
the  blue  of  the  indigo,  gives  it  a tint  which  ap- 
proaches the  violet,  and  also  a fine  hue. 

As  to  the  bran,  its  use  is  not  to  deaden  the  pre- 
tended acid  salts,  but  to  disperse  throughout  a 
quantity  of  sizey  matter;  for  the  small  portion  o£^ 
flour  which  remains  in  it,  dividing  itself  into  the 
liquor,  must  diminish  in  some  measure  its  flu- 
idity, and  consequently  prevent  the  colouring  par. 
tides  which  are  suspended  in  it,  being  precipitat- 
ed too  quick,  in  a liquor  which  had  not  acquired 
a certain  degree  of  thickness. 

Not withsianding  this  distributed  throughout  the 
liquor,  as  well  from  the  bran  as  the  madder, which 
also  affords  something  glutinous,  the  colouring 
particles  will  subside  if  the  liquor  remains  some 
days  without  being  stirred  ; then  the  top  of  the 
liquor  gives  but  a feeble  tint  to  the  body  dipt  in, 
and  if  a strong  one  is  wanted, the  mixture  must  be 
raked,  and  left  to  rest  an  hour  or  two,  that  the  iron 
in  the  copperas,  and  the  gross  parts  of  the  lime  may 
fall  to  the  bottom,  which  otherwise  would  mix 
with  the  true  colouring  particles,  and  prejudice 
their  die,  by  depositing  on  the  body  to  be  died  a 
substance  that  would  have  but  little  adhesion, 
which  in  drying  would  become  friable,  and  of 

wot  I : .1  n 


75 


where  the  true  c ^‘  uring  particle  could  neither  in- 
iroduce  nor  deposu^tself  by  an  immediate  contact 
on  the  subject. 

Not  to  deviate  from  the  method  followed  by  the 
diers,  I boiled  one  part  of  grape* madder  and  one 
of  bran,  in  174  parts  of  water  ; this  proportion  of 
water  is  not  necessary,  more  or  less  may  be  put, 
but  I wanted  to  fill  my  vessel  which  contained  512 
parts.  I passed  this  bever  through  a cloth  and 
squeezed  it,  putting  this  liquor, still  hot,  and  which 
was  of  a blood-red,  into  the  indigo  liquor,  observ- 
ing the  necessary  precautions  to  prevent  the  break- 
ing of  the  glass  vessel.  The  whole  was  well  stir- 
red, and  two  hours  after  the  liquor  was  green,  and 
consequently  fit  for  dicing.  I died  cotton  of  a 
lasting  blue,  somewhat  brighter  than  it  was  be- 
fore the  addition  of  the  red  of  madder. 

I shall  now  endeavour  to  find  out  the  particular 
cause  of  the  solidity  of  this  colour  ; perhaps  it  may 
be  the  general  cause  of  the  tenacity  of  all  the  rest ; 
for  it  appears  already,  from  the  experiments  above 
related,  that  this  tenacity  depends  on  the  choice 
of  salts,  which  are  added  to  the  decoctions  of  the 
colouring  ingredients,  wdien  the  same  ingredients 
contain  none  in  themselves.  If  from  the  conse- 
quences \vhich  shall  result  from  the  choice  of  these 
salts,  of  their  nature,  and  of  their  properties,  it  be 
admitted  (and  it  cannot  be  fairly  denied)  that  they 
afford  more  or  less  tenuity  in  the  homogeneous 
colouring  parts  of  the  dicing  ingredients, the  whole 
theory  of  this  art  will  be  discovered,  without  hav- 
ing recourse  to  uncertain  or  contested  causes. 

One  may  easily  conceive  that  the  salts  added  to 
the  indigo  vats  not  only  open  the  natural  pores  of 
the  subject  to  bt  died,  but  also  unfold  the  col- 
ouring atoms  of  the  indigo. 


76 


In  the  other  preparations  of  d*  ^\:o  be  mention- 
ed hereafter)  the  woolen  stuiB'^art'  boiled  in  a so- 
lution of  salts  which  the  Dyers  call  preparation. 
In  this  preparation  tartar  and  alum  are  generally 
used.  In  some  hours  the  stuff  is  taken  out,  slight- 
ly squeezed,  and  kept  damp  for  some  days  in  a 
cool  place,  that  the  saline  liquor  which  remains  in 
It  may  still  act  and  prepare  it  for  the  reception  of  the 
die  of  these  ingredients,  in  the  decoction  of  which 
it  is  plunged  to  boil  again.  Without  this  prepa- 
ration,  experience  shows  that  the  colours  will  not 
be  lasting,  at  least  for  the  greatest  part;  for  it  must 
be  owned  that  there  are  some  ingredients  which 
yield  lasting  colours,  though  the  stuff  has  not  pre- 
viously undergone  this  preparation,  because  the 
ingredient  contains  in  itself  these  salts. 

It  is  therefore  necessary,  that  the  natural  pores 
of  the  fibres  of  the  wool  should  be  enlarged  and 
cleansed  by  the  help  of  those  salts,  which  are  aL 
-ways  somewhat  corroding,  and  perhaps  they  open 
aicw  pores  for  the  reception  of  the  colouring  atoms 
contained  in  the  ingredients.  The  boiling  of 
this  liquor  drives  in  the  atoms  by  repeatejJ 
strokes.  The  pores  already  enlarged  by  these 
salts,  are  further  dilated  by  the  heat  of  the  boiling 
water  ; they  are  afterwards  contracted  by  the  ex- 
ternal cold  when  the  died  matter  is  taken  out  of  the 
copper,  when  it  is  exposed  to  the  external  air,  or 
when  it  is  plunged  into  cold  water.  Thus  the  col- 
ouring atom  is  taken  in,  and  detained  in  the  pores 
or  fissures  of  the  died  body,  by  the  springiness  of 
its  fibres,  which  have  contracted  and  restored 
themselves  to  their  first  state,  and  have  re  assum- 
ed their  primary  stiffness  upon  being  exposed  to 
the  cold. 


77 


If,  besides  this  spring  of  the  sides  of  the  pore, 
it  be  supp(  sed  that  iheac  series  have  been  plaister- 
ed  inwardly  with  a layer  of  die  saline  liquor,  it  will 
appear  plainly  that  this  is  another  means  employ- 
ed by  art  to  detain  .he  colouring  atom  ; for  this 
atom,  having  entered  into  the  pore,  while  the  sa- 
line cement  of  the  sides  was  yet  in  a state  of  solu. 
tion,  and  consequently  fluid  ; and  this  cement  be- 
ing afterwards  congealed  by  the  external  cold,  the 
atom  is  thereby  detained  ; by  the  spring  w hich  lias 
been  mentioned,  and  by  this  saline  cement,  which 
by  chrystalization  is  become  hard,  forms  a kind 
of  mastic  which  is  not  easily  removed. 

If  the  coloured  atom,  (which  is  as  small  as  the 
little  eminence  that  appears  at  the  entrance  of  the 
pore,  and  without  which  the  subject  would  not 
appear  died)  be  sufficiently  protuberant  to  be  ex- 
posed to  more  powerful  shocks  than  the  resistance 
of  the  sides  of  the  cement  that  retains  it,  then  the 
die  resulting  from  all  these  atoms  sufficiently  re- 
tained, will  be  extremely  lasting,  and  in  the  rank  of 
the  good  die,  provided  the  saline  coat,  can  neither 
be  carried  off  by  cold  water,  such  as  rain,  nor  cal- 
cined or  reduced  to  powder  b}  the  rays  of  the  sun; 
for  every  lasting  colour,  or  colour  belonging  to 
the  good  die,  must  withstand  these  two  proofs. 
No  other  can  reasonably  be  expected  in  stuffs  de- 
signed for  apparel  or  furniture. 

I know  but  of  two  salts  in  chymistry,  which,  be- 
ing once  crystalized,  can  be  moistened  with  cold 
water  without  dissolving  ; and  there  are  few  be- 
sides these  that  can  remain  several  days  exposed  to 
the  sun,  without  being  reduced  to  a flour  or  white 
powder.  These  are  tartar,  either  as  taken  from 
the  wine  vessels,  or  purified,  and  tartar  of  vitrioL 

G 2 


73 


The  tartar  of  vitriol  may  be  made  by  mixing  a salt 
already  alkalized,  (or  that  may  become  such  when 
the  acid  is  drove  out  with  a salt  whose  acid  is  vit- 
riolic, as  copperas  and  alum  ;)  this  is  easily  effect- 
ed if  it  be  weaker  than  the  acid  of  vitriol,  and  such 
is  the  acid  of  all  essential  salts  extracted  from  ve^- 
getables. 

In  the  process  of  the  blue  vat  which  I tried  in 
small,  to  discover  the  cause  of  its  effects,  copperas 
and  pot-ash,  (which  is  a prepared  alkali)  are  mixed 
together ; as  soon  as  these  solutions  are  united, 
the  alkali  precipitates  the  iron  of  the  copperas  in 
form  of  powder  almost  black  ; the  vitriolic  acid  of 
the  copperas,  divested  of  its  metallic  basis,  by  its 
■union  with  the  alkali,  forms  a neutral  salt,  called 
tartar  of  vitriol^  as  when  made  with  the  salt  of  tar- 
tar and  the  vitriolic  acid  already  separated  from  its 
basis  ; for  all  alkalis,  from  whatever  vegetables 
they  are  extracted,  are  perfectly  alike,  provided 
they  have  been  equally  calcined. 

More  difficulties  will  occur  with  regard  to  the 
water  for  the  preparation  of  other  colours,  such  as 
reds  and  yellows.  It  may  be  denied  that  a tartar 
of  vitriol  can  result  from  the  mixture  of  alum  and 
crude  tartar  boiled  together  ; yet  the  theory  is 
the  same,  and  I do  not  know  that  it  can  be  other- 
wise conceived.  The  alum  is  a salt,  consisting  of 
the  vitriolic  acid  united  with  an  earth  ; by  adding 
an  alkali,  the  earth  is  immediately  precipitated, 
and  the  tartar  soon  forms  ; but  instead  of  this  al- 
kaline salt,  alum  is  boiled  with  the  crude  tartar 
which  is  the  essential  salt  of  wine,  that  is,  a salt 
composed  of  the  vinous  acid,  (which  is  more  vol- 
atile than  the  vitriolic)  and  of  oil,  both  conccntra- 
tcjl  in  a small  portion  of  earth. 


79 


This  salt,  as  is  known  to  chymists,  becomes  al- 
kali by  divesting  it  of  its  acid.  Thus  when  the 
alum  and  crude  tartar  are  boiled  together,  besides 
the  impression  which  the  fibres  of  the  stdif  to  be 
died  receive  from  the  first  of  these  salts,  which  is 
somewhat  corrosive,  the  tartar  is  also  purified,  and 
by  the  addition  of  the  earth,  which  is  separated 
from  the  alum,  (and  which  has  near  the  same  ef- 
feet  upon  the  tartar,  as  the  earth  of  Merviels,  which 
is  used  at  Montpellier,  in  manufacturing  cream  of 
tartar)  it  becomes  clear  and  transparent.  It  may 
very  probably  happen,  that  the  vitriolic  acid  of  the 
alum,  driving  out  a part  of  the  vegetable  acid  of 
the  tartar,  a tartar  of  vitriol  may  be  formed  as  hard 
and  transparent  as  the  crystal  of  tartar.  Admit- 
ting one  or  other  of  these  suppositions,  consequent- 
ly there  is  in  the  open  pores  of  the  wool  a saline 
cement  which  crystalizes  as  soon  as  the  stuff 
which  comes  out  of  the  die  is  exposed  to  the  cold 
air,  which  cannot  be  calcined  by  heat,  nor  is  solu- 
ble in  cold  water,  I could  not  avoid  making  this 
digression. 

This  theory  is  common  to  the  indigo  vat,  where 
urine  is  used  instead  of  water  ; alum  and  crude 
tartar  in  the  place  of  vitriol  and  pot- ashes.  This 
urine  vat  gives  a lasting  die  only  when  usedhot,and 
then  the  wool  must  remain  in  an  hour  or  two  to 
take  the  die  equally.  As  soon  as  the  vat  is  cold, 
she  strikes  no  more  die  ; the  reason  of  this  would 
be  difficult  to  discover  in  an  opaque  metal  vat,  but 
glass  vessel  it  is  easily  seen. 

^Klet  tlijl  little  glass  proof  vat  cool,  and  all  the 
Hl||&  col^r,^ which  was  suspended  in  it  while  hotf 
HpPpiUtedJlt  by  little  to  the  bottom  ; for  then 
w taftar  crystalizing  itself,  and  reuniting  in  heav;» 


80 


icr  masses  than  its  moculas  were  during  tlie  heat 
of  the  liquor,  and  its  solution,  it  sunk  to  the  bot- 
tom  of  the  vessel,  and  carried  with  it  the  colouring 
particles. 

When  I restored  this  liquor  to  its  former  degree 
of  heat,  after  shaking  it,  and  letting  it  settle  a while, 
I dipped  a piece  of  cloth,  which  I took  out  one 
hour  after,  with  as  lasting  a die  as  the  first  ; so 
that  when  this  vat  is  used  and  fit  to  work,  the  tar- 
tar is  to  be  kept  in  a state  of  solution,  which  can- 
not be  done  but  by  a pretty  strong  heat.  The  al- 
kali of  the  urine  greens  it,  the  alum  prepares  the 
fibres  of  the  wool,  and  the  crystal  of  tartar  secures 
the  die  by  cementing  the  colouring  atoms  depos- 
ited in  the  pores. 

There  still  remains  a difficulty  with  respect  to 
the  indigo  vat,  in  which  neither  vitriol,  alum,  or 
tartar  are  used,  but  only  pearl  ashes  in  equal  quan- 
tity with  the  indigo,  and  which  is  pretty  briskly 
heated  to  die  the  wool  and  stuffs.  But  before  I 
enter  into  the  cause  of  the  solidity  of  its  die,  which 
is  equal  to  that  of  the  other  blue  vats  where  the 
other  salts  already  mentioned  enter,  I must  exam- 
ine into  the  nature  of  pearl  ashes,  which  are  the 
lees  of  wine  dried  and  calcined  : it  is  therefore  an 
alkaline  salt,  of  the  nature  of  salt  of  tartar,  but  less 
pure,  as  proceeding  from  the  heaviest  parts  of  the 
dregs  of  wine,  and  consequently  the  most  earthy ; 
besides,  the  alkali  of  the  pearl  ashes  is  never  as 
homogeneous  as  the  alkaline  salt  of  tartar  well  caj- 
cined,  and  there  are  scarcely  any  .pearl  ashes 
purified,  from  which  a considerable ^uj^ity  oj 
tar  of  vitriol  may  not  be  obtained ; 
able  by  an  experiment  which  I hal 
it  might  at  length  be  entirely  convflP#  Mit( 


81 


neutral  salt ; the  same  may  be  said  of  pot  aslies^ 
and  of  all  other  alkaline  salts,  whose  basis  are  not 
that  of  the  marine  salt. 

The  want  of  this  homogeneous  quality,  is  the 
cause  that  pearl-ashes  never  fall  entirely  into  deli- 
quiumin  the  air;  therefore  since  experience  shows 
that  there  is  a tartar  of  vitriol  already  formed  in 
the  pearl-ashes,  it  is  evident  that  this  indigo  vat, 
which  does  not  give  a good  die  until  the  liquor 
has  been  so  briskly  heated  as  not  to  suffer  the 
hand  without  scalding,  will  dissolve  the  small  por- 
tion of  tartar  of  vitriol  that  is  contained  in  it,  and 
consequently  this  salt  will  introduce  itself  into  the 
pores  of  the  wool  to  dense  and  cement  them,  and 
will  coagulate  therein  on  the  wool  being  taken 
out  of  the  liquor,  and  exposed  to  the  air  to  cool. 

I must  now  give  the  reason  why  the  indigo  vat 
is  green  under  the  first  surface  of  the  liquor  ; why 
this  liquor  must  be  green  that  the  blue  die  may 
be  lasting,  and  why  the  stuff  that  is  taken  green 
out  of  the  liquor  becomes  blue  as'soon  as  it  is  air« 
ed.  All  these  conditions  being  of  necessity  com- 
mon to  all  indigo  vats  either  cold  or  hot,  the  same 
explication  will  serve  for  them  all. 

1.  The  flurry  which  rises  on  the  surface  of  the 
indigo  liquor  when  it  is  fit  die  is  blue,  and  the  un- 
der part  of  this  scum  is  green ; these  two  circum- 
stances prove  the  perfect  solution  of  the  indigo, 
and  that  the  alkaline  salt  is  united  to  its  colouring 
^oms  since  it  greens  them,  for  without  they  \vould 
fcmain  blue. 

Jp2.  These  circumstances  prove  that  there  is  al- 
the  indigo  a volatile  urinous  alkali,  which 
^PlTxt  dkali  of  the  pot- ash,  or  the  alkaline  earth 
0f  the  lime  displays,  and  which  evaporates  very 


82 


shortl}^  after  the  exposition  of  this  scum  to  the  air^ 
The  existence  of  this  urinous  volatile  appears  : 
plainly  by  the  smell  of  the  vat  during  the  fermen- 
tation ; when  stirred,  or  when  heated,  tlie  smell  is 
sharp,  and  resembles  that  of  stinking  meat  roas- 
ted. 

3.  In  preparation  of  the  anil,  in  order  to  sepa- 
rate the  fecula,  a fermentation  is  continued  to  pu- 
trefaction. All  rotten  plants  are  urinous.  This 
volatile  urinous  quality  is  produced  by  the  inti- 
mate union  of  salts  with  the  vegetable  oil,  or  is 
owing  to  a prodigious  quantity  of  insects  falling  on 
all  sides  of  fermenting  plants,  and  attracted  by  the 
smell  exhaling  from  them,  wdiere  they  live,  mul- 
tiply, and  die  in  them,  and  consequently  deposit  a 
number  of  dead  bodies  ; therefore  to  this  veget- 
able substance  an  animal  one  is  united,  whose  salt 
is  always  an  urinous  volatile.  This  same  urinous 
quality  exists  also  in  the  woad,  which  is  prepared  after 
the  same  manner,  viz.  by  fermentation  and  putrefac- 
tion, and  which  will  be  further  explained  in  the 
abridged  narrative  of  its  preparation. 

4.  And  lastly,  if  indigo  or  woad  be  distilled  in 
a retort,  either  alone,  or  (which  is  much  better) 
with  some  fixed  saline  or  earthy  alkali  added  to 
it,  a liquor  will  be  obtained,  which  by  all  chymi'" 
cal  essays,  produces  the  same  effects  as  volatile 
spirits  of  urine. 

Why  does  not  this  volatile  urinous  quality  in  the 
indigo  cause  it  to  appear  green,  since  it  must  b^ 
equally  distributed  through  all  its  parts  ? And 
wliy  does  indigo,  being  dissolved  in  plain  boiling 
water,  tinge  it  blue  and  not  green  ? It  is  becau^ 
this  volatile  urinous  salt  is  not  concreted  tlrat*^ 
requires  another  body  more  active  than  boiling 


m 


water  to  drive  it  out  of  the  particles  surrounding 
it  ; and  the  solution  ot  indigo  is  never  perfected 
by  water  alone  ; whatever  degree  of  heat  is  given, 
it  is  only  diluted,  and  not  dissolved  in  it.  Indeed 
this  decoction  of  indigo  blues  the  stuffs  that  are 
dipped,  but  the  blue  is  not  equally  laid  on,  and 
boiling  water  almost  instantly  discharges  it.  I 
shall  endeavour  to  answer  this  by  an  example 
drawn  from  another  subject.  \ 

Salt  ammoniac,  from  which  chy mists  extract 
the  most  penetrating  volatile  spirit,  has  not  that 
quick  urinous  smell  by  dissolving  and  boiling  it 
in  w'ater  ; either  lime,  or  fixed  alkaline  salt,  must 
be  added  to  disengage  the  urinous  volatile  parts. 

In  like  manner,the  indigo  requires  fixed  saline,  or 
earthy  alkalis,  to  be  exactly  discomposed,  that  its 
volatile  urinous  salt  may  be  discovered,  and  that 
its  colouring  atoms  may  be  reduced  probably  to 
their  elementary  minuteness. 

I now  come  to  the  second  quality  required. 
The  liquor  of  the  indigo  vat  must  be  green,  that 
the  die  may  be  lasting  ; for  the  indigo  would  not 
be  exactly  dissolved,  if  the  alkali  did  not  act  upon 
it.  Its  solution  not  being  as  perfect  as  it  ought  to 
be,  its  die  would  be  neither  equal  nor  lasting  ; but 
ns  soon  as  the  alkaline  salts  act  upon  it  they  must 
green  it ; for  an  alkali,  mixed  wuth  the  blue 
Juice  or  tincture  of  any  plant  or  flotver,  immedi- 
ately turns  it  green,  when  equally  distributed  on 
all  its  colourifig  parts.  But  if  by  evaporation  these 
same  parts  colinn  cd,  or  colouring,  have  re-united 
themselves  into  hard  and  compact  masses, the  alka- 
li will  not  change  their  colour  till  it  has  penetrated, 
divided, a*'id  reduced  tOem  zo  their  primary  fineness. 
This  ia  tl-  cose  with  indi'fc;,  whose  fecula  is  the 

d V Cl  -Le  :.:dl 


84 


With  respect  to  the  last  circumstance,  which  is 
that  the  staff  must  be  green  on  coming  out  of  the 
liquor,  and  become  blue  as  soon  as  it  is  aired, 
without  which,  the  blue  would  not  be  of  a good 
die,  the  following  reasons  may  be  given  : it  is  ta* 
ken  out  green  because  the  liquoris  green;  if  it  was 
not,  the  alkaline  salt  put  into  the  vat  would  not  be 
equally  distributed,  or  th^  indigo  would  not  be  ex- 
actly dissolved.  If  the  alk.  li  was  not  equally  distri- 
buted,the  liquor  contained  i\\  the  vat  would  not  be 
equally  saline:  the  bottom  of  this  liquor  would  con- 
tain all  the  salt;  the  upper  would  be  insipid.  In  this 
case,  the  stuff  dipped  in  would  neither  be  prepared 
to  receive  the  die,  nor  to  retain  it  ; l)ut  when  it  is 
taken  out  green  at  the  end  of  a quarter  of  an  hour’s  I 
dipping,  it  is  a proof  that  the  liquor  was  equally  sa« 
line,  and  equally  loaded  with  colouring  atoms  ; 
it  is  also  a sign,  that  the  alkaline  salts  have  in- 
sinuated themselves  into  the  pores  of  the  fibres 
of  the  stuff,  and  enlarged  them,  as  has  been  ob- 
served, and  perhaps  have  formed  new  ones.  Now 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  an  alkaline  salt  may 
have  this  effect  on  a woolen  stuff,  when  it  is  evident 
that  a very  sharp  alkaline  ley  burns  and  dissolves 
almost  in  an  instant  a flock  of  wool  or  a feather. 

A process  in  dicing, called  by  the  Frtuch.Jbnte 
debourrcy  that  is,  the  melting  or  dissolving  of  flock 
or  hair,  is  still  a further  example,  the  hair,  which 
is  used  and  boiled  in  a solution  of  pearl-ashes  in 
urine,  is  so  perfectly  dissolved  as  not  to  leave  the 
least  fibre  remaining.  Therefore  if  a lixivium, 
extremely  sharp,  entirely  destroys  the  wool,  a ley 
which  shall  have  but  a quantity  of  alkaline  salt  suf- 
ficient  to  act  on  the  wool  without  destroying  it, 
will  prepare  the  pores  to  receive  and  preserve  the 
colouring  atoms  of  the  indigo. 


85 


The  stuff  is  aired  after  being  taken  green  out 
of  the  vat,  and  after  wringing  it  becomes  blue. 
What  is  done  by  airing  ? it  is  cooled  ; if  it  is  the 
urinous  volatile  detached  from  the  indigo  which 
gave  it  this  green  colour,  it  evaporates,  and  the 
blue  appears  again  ; if  it  is  the  fixed  alkaline  that 
causes  this  green,  not  only  the  greatest  part  is  car- 
ried off  by  the  strong  expression  of  the  stuff,  but 
what  remains  can  have  no  more  action  on  the  col- 
ouring part,  because  the  small  atom  of  tartar  of 
vitriol,  which  contains  a coloured  atom  still  less 
than  itself,  is  crystalized  the  instant  of  its  exposi^ 
tion  to  the  cold  air,  and  contracting  this  same  col- 
ouring atom  by  the  help  of  the  spring  at  the  sides 
of  the  pore,  it  entirely  presses  out  the  remainder 
of  the  alkali,  which  does  not  crystalize  as  a neu- 
tral salt. 

The  blue  is  roused,  that  is,  it  becomes  brighter 
and  finer  by  soaking  the  died  stuff  in  warm  water, 
for  then  the  colouring  particles  which  had  only  a 
superficial  adherence  to  the  fibres  of  tlie  wool,  arc 
carried  off.  Soap  is  used  as  a proof  of  the  lasting 
of  the  blue  die,  and  it  must  stand  it,  for  the  soap, 
which  is  only  used  in  a small  quantity  in  proper- 
tion  to  the  water,  and  whose  action  on  the  died  pat- 
tern is  fixed  to  five  minutes,  is  an  alkali,  mitigated 
by  the  oil,  which  cannot  act  upon  a neutral  salt.  If 
it  discharges  the  pattern  of  any  part  of  its  colour, 
it  is  because  its  parts  were  but  superficially  ad- 
hering ; besides,  the  little  saline  crystal  which  is 
set  in  the  pore,  whose  use  is  to  cement  the  colour- 
ing atom,  cannot  be  dissolved  in  so  short  a time, 
so  as  to  come  out  of  the  pore  with  the  atom  it  re- 
tains. 

This  treatise  lavs  down  the  essay  of  a method 
H 


86 


of  dicing  different  from  any  hitherto  offered.  I 
appeal  to  philosophers,  who  would  think  little  of 
a simple  narrative  of  processes,  if  I did  not  at 
the  same  time  give  their  theory.  I shall  follow 
this  method  in  the  other  experiments  on  reds,  the 
yellows,  or  other  simple  colours,  as  it  is  absolute- 
ly necessary  to  have  a knowledge  of  them  before 
entering  on  the  compound,  as  these  are  general- 
ly but  colours  laid  on  one  after  the  other,  and 
seldom  mixed  together  in  the  same  liquor  or  de- 
coction. 

Thus  having  once  the  knowledge  of  what  pro- 
cures the  tenacity  of  a simple  colour,  it  will  be 
more  easily  known,  if  the  second  colour  can  take 
place  in  the  spaces  the  first  have  left  empty  without 
displacing  the  first. 

This  is  the  idea  which  I have  formed  to  myself 
of  the  arrangement  of  different  colours  laid  on  the 
same  stuff,  for  it  appears  to  me  a matter  of  great 
difficulty  to  conceive  that  the  colouring  atoms  can 
place  themselves  the  one  on  the  other,  and  thus 
form  kinds  of  pyramids,  each  still  preserving  their 
colour,  so  that  from  a mixture  of  the  whole  a com- 
pound colour  shall  result,  and  which,  notwithstand- 
ing, shall  appear  uniform,  and  as  it  were  homoge- 
nev)us.  ToBdopt  this  system,  we  must  suppose 
a transparency  in  these  a'oms,  which  it  would  be 
difficult  to  demonstrate  ; and  further,  that  a yellow 
atom  must  place  itself  immediately  on  a blue  one, 
already  set  in  the  pore  of  the  fibre  of  a ^>tuff,  and 
that  it  must  remain  there  strongly  bound,  so  that 
they  must  touch  eac'h  other  with  exo'c  me  smooth 
surfaces,  and  so  with  every  new  colour  laid  on. 

It  is  not  easy  to  conceive  all  this,  and  it  appears 
more  probable  that  the  firi'st  colour  has  only  taken 


87 


up  tlie  pores  that  it  found  open  by  the  first  prepa- 
ration of  the  fibres  of  the  stuff ; that  on  the  side  of 
these  pores  there  remains  more  still  to  be  filled,  or 
at  least  spaces  not  occupied,  where  new  pores  may 
be  opened  to  lodge  the  new  atoms  of  a second  coU 
our,  by  the  means  of  a second  preparation  of  wa- 
ter, composed  of  corroding  salts,  which  being  the 
same  as  those  of  the  first  preparing  liquor,  will  not 
destroy  the  first  saline  crystals  introduced  into  the 
first  pores. 

What  has  been  already  said  with  regard  to  the 
indigo  vat,  may  also  serve  to  explain  the  action  of 
the  woad  vat  on  wool  and  stuffs  ; it  is  only  suppos- 
ing in  the  woad,  that  salts  do  naturally  exist,  pret- 
ty near  of  affinity  to  those  that  are  added  to  the  in- 
digo vat.  It  appears  by  the  description  given  of 
these  vats,  that  the  woad  vat  is  by  much  the  most 
difficult  to  conduct.  I am  convinced  that  these 
difficulties  might  be  removed,  if  an  attempt  was 
made  to  prepare  the  isatis  as  the  anil  is  in  the 
West  Indies.  I shall  therefore  compare  their  dif- 
ferent preparations.  I have  taken  the  following 
narrative  from  the  memoirs  of  Mr.  Astruc’s  His^ 
toire  JVaturelle'  du  Languedoc.  Paris^  Cavalier 
1737,  in  4to,  p.  330  and  331. 

“ According  to  the  opinion  ofdiers,  woad  only 
‘‘  gives  feeble  and  languishing  colours  ; whereas 
‘‘  those  of  the  indigo  are  lively  and  bright.  This 
opinion  I grant  is  conformable  to  reason  ; the 
indigo  is  a fine  subtle  powder  ; consequently 
“ capable  to  penetrate  tlie  stuffs  easily,  and  give 
them  a shining  colour.  The  woad,  on  the  con- 
“ tran  , is  only  a gross  plant,  loaded  with  many 
“ earthy  parts,  which  slacken  the  action  and  motion 
“ of  the  finer  parts,  and  prevent  them  from  acting 
effectually^ 


88 


I know  but  one  way  to  remove  this  inconven- 
**  iency,  that  is,  to  prepare  the  wo.ad  after  the  same 
“ manner  the  indigo  is  prepared  ; by  this  means, 
the  colours  obtained  from  the  woad  would  ac- 
quire  the  lively  and  bright  qualities  of  those 
“ procured  from  the  indigo,  without  diminishing 
in  the  least  the  excellency  of  the  colours  pro- 
duced  by  the  woad. 

“ I have  already  made  in  small^  experiments 
on  what  I propose,  and  those  experiments  have 
“ succeeded,  not  only  in  the  preparation  of  the  powv 
der  of  woad,  but  also  in  the  use  of  this  powder 
for  dicing/^ 

It  is  incumbent  on  those  who  have  the  public 
good  at  heart,  to  cause  trials  at  large  to  be  made, 
and  if  they  have  the  success  that  can  reasonably  be 
expected,  it  wdll  be  proper  to  encourage  those  who 
cultivate  w^oad,  to  follow  this  new  method  of  pre- 
paring it,  and  offer  premiums  to  enable  them  to 
sustain  the  expenses  this  new  practice  will  engage 
them  in,  until  the  advantage  they  will  reap  from 
it  may  be  sufficient  to  determine  them  to  follow'  it. 

I shall  now  propose  the  means  to  succeed  in 
Mr.  Astruc’s  experiments,  and  these  means  natu- 
rally result  from  considering  the  method  used  in 
Languedoc  for  the  preparation  of  woad,  and  the 
ingenious  method  by  which  they  separate  the  fec- 
ula  of  the  anil  in  America.  I have  already  given 
the  preparation  of  this  last ; those  who  desire  a full- 
er description  may  consult  VHistoire  des  Antilles 
dll  P,  du  Tertre,  ^ du  P.  Labat.  The  following 
preparation  of  the  pastel,  or  garden  woad,  is  thus 
described  by  Mr.  Astruc. 

* As  this  ingenious  man  has  succeeded  in  small  experimenp,  it  is  probable  he 
would  also  in  the  large  ones ; and  then  this  plant  easily  cultivated  in  Englano, 
would  weQ  r-ecompense  tbe  pains  of  tbe^ husbandman. 


89 


Tk^  manufacturing  of  Pastel,  or  Garden  W oady  in 
France, 

Peasants  of  Abbigevois  distinguish  two  kinds 
of  woad  seed  ; the  one  violet  colour,  the  other  yel- 
low ; they  prefer  the  form*,  r,  because  the  woad 
that  shoots  from  it  bears  leaves  that  are  smooth  and 
polished,  whereas  those  that  spring  from  the  ) el- 
lovv  are  hairy  ; this  filU  them  with  earth  and  dust, 
which  makes  the  woad  prepared  from  them  of  a 
worse  quality.  This  woad  is  called  pastelbourg, 
or  bourdaigne. 

The  woad  at  first  shoots  five  or  six  leaves  out 
of  the  ground,  which  stand  upright  whilst  green  ; 
they  are  a foot  long,  and  six  inches  broad  ; they 
begin  to  ripen  in  June  ; they  are  known  to  be  ripe 
by  their  falling  down  and  growing  yellow  ; they 
are  then  gathered,  and  the  ground  cleared  from 
weeds,  w hich  is  carefully  repeated  each  crop. 

If  there  has  been  rain,  a second  crop  is  obtain- 
ed in  July  ; rain  or  dry  weather  advances  or  retards 
it  eight  days.  The  third  crop  is  at  the  latter  end 
of  August  ; a fourth  the  latter  end  of  September; 
and  the  fiftli  and  last  about  tlie  tenth  of  November. 
This  last  crop  is  the  most  considerable,  the  inter- 
val being  longer.  The  plant  at  this  crop  is  cut  at 
the  root  from  whence  the  leaves  spring.  This 
woad  is  not  good,  and  the  last  crop  is  forbid  by 
the  regulations.  The  w'oad  is  not  to  be  gathered 
in  foggy  or  rainy  w^eather,  VmX  in  serene  w'caiher, 
when  the  sun  has  been  out  some  time. 

At  each  crop  the  leaves  are  brought  to  the  mill 
to  be  ground,  and  reduced  to  a fine  paste  ; this  is 
to  be  done  speedily,  for  the  leaves  hen  led  in  a 
heat  ferment, and  soon  rot  w idi  an  intolerable  stench, 
H 2 


90 


These  mills  are  like  the  oil  or  bark- mills,  that  is,  a . 
mill-stone  turns  round  a perpendicular  pivot  in  a j 
circular  grove  or  trough,  pretty  deep,  in  which  the  i 
woad  is  ground. 

The  leaves  thus  mashed  and  reduced  to  a paste,  i 
are  kept  up  in  the  galleries  of  the  mill,  or  in  ahe  i 
l>pen  air.  After  pressing  the  paste  well  with  the 
hands  and  feet,  it  is  beat  down  and  made  smooth 
with  a shovel.  This  is  called  the  woad  piled. 

An  outward  crust  forms,  which  becomes  black- 
ish ; when  it  cracks,  great  care  must  be  taken  to 
close  it  again.  Little  worms  will  generate  in 
these  crevices  and  spoil  it.  The  pile  is  opened  in  i 
. a fortnight,  well  worked  between  the  hands,  and  ; 
the  crust  well  mixed  with  the  inside  ; sometimes  ’ 
this  crust  requires  to  be  beat  with  a mallet  to  knead 
it  with  the  rest. 

This  paste  is  then  made  into  small  loayes  or 
round  balls,  which  according  to  the  regulations, 
must  weigh  a pound  and  a quarter.  These  balls 
are  well  pressed  in  the  making,  and  are  then  given 
to  another,  who  kneads  them  again  in  a wooden 
dish,  lengthens  them  at  both  ends,  making  them 
oval  and  smooth.  Lastly,  they  are  given  to  a third, 
who  finishes  them  in  a lesser  bowl  dish,  by  pressing 
and  perfectly  uniting  them. 

The  pastel  or  woad  thus  prepared  is  called 
tel  en  Cocaigne  ; whence  arises  the  proverb,  Pais 
de  Cocaigne  ; w^hich  signifies  a rich  country,  be- 
cause this  country^  where  the  woad  grows,  en- 
riched itself  formerly  by  the  commerce  of  this 
drug. 


^L'Ahigt/ois  tf 


91 


These  balls*  are  spread  on  hurdles,  and  ex- 
posed to  the  sun  in  fine  weather  ; in  bad  weather 
they  are  put  at  the  top  of  the  mill.  The  woad  that 
has  been  exposed  some  hours  to  the  sun,  becomes 
black  on  the  outside,  whereas  that  which  has  been 
kept  within  doors  is  generally  yellowish,  particu- 
larly if  the  weather  has  been  rainy.  The  mer- 
chants prefer  the  former  ; this  makes  little  differ- 
ence as  to  its  use  ; it  is  in  general  always  yellow- 
ish, as  the  peasants  mostly  work  it  in  rainy  weath- 
er when  they  cannot  attend  their  rural  employ- 
ments. 

In  summer,  these  balls  are  commonly  dry  in 
fifteen  or  twenty  days,  whereas  in  autumn  those 
of  the  last  crop  are  long  in  drying. 

The  good  balls  when  broke  are  of  a violet  col- 
our within,  and  have  an  agreeable  smell  ; where- 
as those  that  are  of  an  earthy  colour  and  a bad 
smell,  are  not  good  ; this  proceeds  from  the  gath- 
ering of  the  woad  during  the  rain,  wdien  the  leaves 
were  filled  with  earth.  Their  goodness  is  also 
known  by  their  weight,  being  light  when  they  have 
taken  too  much  air,  or  rotten  by  not  having  been 
sufficiently  pressed. 


Powder  of  woad. 


Of  these  balls  well  prepared,  the  powder  of 
woad  is  to  be  made ; for  this  purpose  a hundred 
thousand  at  least  are  required.  A distant  barit  or 
a warehouse  must  be  procured,  larger  or  smaller 
according  to  the  quantity  intended  to  be  made.  It 


• There  J8  a place  m India,  the  name  I do  not  recollect,  where  the  anil  is 
yrepared  after  the  manner  of  the  woad,  and  the  indigo  comes  from  it  in  lumps, 
•ra^ining  all  the  useless  yarti  of  thw  plaul.  ft  is  Teiy  difficult  to  prepare  a 


92 


must  be  paved  with  bricks  and  lined  with  the  same 
to  the  height  of  four  or  five  feet  : the  walls  would 
be  better  to  be  of  stone  to  that  height,  yet  often 
the  walls  are  only  coated  with  earth  : this  coat 
breaking  off  and  mixing  with  the  woad  is  a great 
prejudice  to  it.  In  this  place  the  balls  are  reduc- 
ed to  a gross  powder  with  large  w^ooden  mallets. 
This  powder  is  heaped  up  to  the  height  of  four  feet, 
reserving  a space  to  go  round,  and  is  moistened 
with  w^ater  ; that  which  is  slimy  ^ is  best  provided 
it  be  clear  ; the  woad  thus  moistened,  ferments,, 
heats,  and  emits  a very  thick  stincking  vapour. 

It  is  stirred  every  day  for  tw^elve  days,  flinging 
it  by  shovels  full  frome  one  side  to  the  other,  and 
moistening  it  every  day  during  that  time  ; after 
which  no  more  water  is  flung  on,  but  only  stirred 
every  second  day ; then  every  third,  fourth,  and 
fifth  ; it  is  then  heaped  up  in  the  middle  of  the 
place,  and  looked  at  from  time  to  time,  to  air  it  in 
case  it  should  heat.  This  is  the  pastel  or  garden 
woad  powder  fit  for  sale  to  the  Diers. 

Mr.  Astruc,  to  prove  that  the  sale  of  woad  for- 
merly enriched  the  higher  Languedoc,  quotes  the 
following  passage  from  a book  entitled  Le  Mar^ 
chand, 

“ Formerly  they  transported  from  Toulon  ze  to 
Bordeaux,  by  the  river  Garonne,  each  year  a hun» 
dred  thousand  bales  of  woad,  which  on  the  spot 
are  worth  at  least  fifteen  livres  a bale,  which  a- 
mounts  to  1,500,000  livres  ; from  whence  pro- 
ceeded the  abundance  of  money  and  riches  of  that 

* 1 can  see  no  reason  why  slimy  water,  and  yet  to  be  clear,  is  preferred. 
It  appears  to  me  that  clear  river  water  would  he  more  secure ; with  this  they 
would  avoid  the  inconveniences  that  must  attend  a standing  water,  always 
filled  with  filth ; or  of  a muddy  water,  which  contains  useless  earth,  and  wbkb 
must  make  the  die  uneven. 


93 


cGuntry.”  Castel  in  his  Memoirs  de  H Histoire 
iu  Languedoc,  in  1633,  p.  49. 

The  comparing  of  these  two  methods  of  pre- 
paring the  woad  and  indigo,  may  be  sufficient  to 
a person  of  understanding,  who  might  be  appoint- 
ed to  try,  by  experiments,  the  possibility  of  ex- 
tracting a fecula  from  the  isatis  of  Languedoc 
like  that  of  the  anil.  It  is  neither  the  Dier  or 
Manufacturer  that  ought  be  applied  to  for  that 
purpose ; both  would  condemn  the  project  as  a 
novelty,  and  it  would  require  many  experiments, 
which  in  general  they  are  not  accustomed  to. 

I could  wish  this  experiment  was  tried  in  great, 
so  that  at  least  fifty  pound  of  this  fecula  might  be 
got,  that  several  vats  might  be  set  in  case  the  first 
should  fail.  Whosoever  does  try  it,  should  be 
very  careful  to  describe  all  the  circumstances  of 
the  process.  Perhaps  it  might  not  succeed  at  the 
first  crop  of  the  leaves  of  the  woad,  because  the 
heat  in  June  is  not  sufficient,  but  probably  he 
might  meet  with  success  in  August. 

If  this  succeeds,  there  are  without  doubt  seve- 
ral  other  plants  of  the  same  quality  as  the  isatis, 
and  which  yields  a like  fecula. 

It  is  also  probable  that  the  dark  green  of  seve- 
ral plants  is  composed  of  yellow  and  blue  parts  ; 
if  by  fermentation  the  yellow  could  be  destroyed 
the  blue  would  remain.  This  is  not  a chimerical 
idea,  and  it  is  easy  to  prove  that  some  use  might 
be  derived  from  such  an  experiment. 


94 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


OF  RED.  i 

RED.  as  has  been  said,  is  one  of  the  primaiy  I 
or  mother  colours  of  the  diers.  In  the  great  die 
there  are  four  principal  reds,  which  are  the  basis 
of  the  rest.  These  are, 

1.  Scarlet  of  grain.  2.  The  scarlet,  now  in 
use,  or  flame-coloured  scarlet,  formerly  called  i 
Dutch  scarlet.  3.  The  crimson  red.  And,  j 

4.  The  madder  red.  | 

There  are  also  the  bastard  scarlet  and  the  bas-  | 
tard  crimson  ; but  as  these  are  only  mixtures  of  I 
the  principal  reds,  they  ought  not  to  be  consider- 
ed as  particular  colours. 

The  red,  or  nacaret  of  bourrCy*  was  formerly 
permitted  in  the  great  die. 

All  these  different  reds  have  their  particular 
shades  from  the  deepest  to  the  lightest,  but  they 
form  separate  classes,  as  the  shades  of  the  one 
never  fall  into  those  of  the  other. 

The  reds  are  worked  in  a different  manner 
from  the  blues,  the  wool  or  stuffs  not  being  im- 
mediately dipped  in  the  die,  but  previously  re- 
ceiving a preparation  which  gives  them  no  colour, 
but  prepares  them  to  receive  that  of  the  colouring 
ingredient* 

This  is  called  the  water  of  preparation  ; it  is 
commonly  made  with  acids,  such  as  sour  waters, 


♦This  colour  is  given  with  weld  and  goat’s  hair  boiled  in  pot  ashes,  and  i»4i. 
bright  orange  red. 


95 


iliim  and  tartar,  aqua  fortis,  aqua  regalis,  See. 
These  preparing  ingredients  are  used  in  different 
quantities,  according  to  the  colour  and  shade  re- 
quired. Galls  are  also  often  used,  and  sometimes 
ilkalinc  salts  This  I shall  explain  in  the  course 
d1  this  treatise,  w hen  I come  to  the  method  of 
ivorking  each  of  these  colours. 

CHAPTER  IX. 


OT  SCARLET  OF  GRAIN. 

THIS  colour  is  called  scarlet  of  grain,  because 
it  is  made  with  the  kermes, which  was  long  thought 
to  be  the  grain  of  the  tree  on  which  it  is  found.  It 
iwas  formerly  called  French  scarlet,  imagining 
to  be  first  found  out  in  France,  and  is  now  kno^JP 
by  the  name  of  Venetian  scarlet,  being  much  m 
use  there,  and  more-  made  than  in  au}  other  place. 
The  fashion  passed  from  thence  into  France  and 
other  countries.  It  has  indeed  less  lustre,  and  is  :jg< 
brov.ner  than  the  scarlet  now  in  fashion  ; buf  itJ'C 
has  the  advantage  of  keepirtg  its  brightiiess  longerj^ 
and  does  not  spo.  by  mud  o;  acid  liquors. 

Thi  kermes  is  a gall  insect,  whi(  h is  bred,  lives 
and  muiiij'lies  upon  the  ihx  accuieato  cocci glan* 
discra,  C B P.  Some  comes  fr  om  Nai  bonne, 
bui  greater  quantifies  frt.m  Alicant  and  Valentia, 
and  the  pco'^ants  of  Languedoc  yearl)  bring  it  to 
Montpelier  and  Narb«jnne.  The  merchants  who 
buy  them  to  send  abroad,  spread  them  on  cloths, 
and  sprinkle  them  with  vinegar,  in  order  to  kill 
the  little  insects  that  are  witbm,  which  yield  a red. 


% 


powder,  which  is  separated  from  the  shell  after 
drying,  and  is  then  passed  through  a sieve  ; this 
is  done  particularly  in  Spain. 

They  then  make  it  up  in  bales,  and  in  the  mid- 
dle of  each  a quantity  of  this  powder  is  inclosed  in 
a leather  bag,  in  proportion  to  the  whole  bale. 
Thus  each  dier  has  his  due  proportion  of  this 
powder.  These  bales  are  generally  sent  to  Mar- 
seilles, from  whence  they  are  exported  to  the  Le- 
vant, Algiers  and  Tunis,  where  it  is  greatly  made 
use  of  in  dieing. 

The  red  draperies  of  the  figures  in  the  ancient 
tapestry  of  Brussels,  and  other  manufactories  of 
FiaRflers,  are  died  with  this  ingredient;  and  some 
that  have  been  wrought  upwards  of  two  hundred 
years,  have  scarcely  lost  any  thing  of  the  bright- 
ness of  the  colour.  I shall  now  proceed  to  give 
th£  method  of  making  this  scarlet  of  grain,  which 

now  seldom  used  but  for  wools  designed  for  ta- 
pestry. 

Preparation  of  the  Wool  for  Scarlet  of  Grain. 

Twenty  pounds  of  wool  and  half  a bushel  of 
^%fan  are  put  into  a copper,  with  a sufficient  quan- 
tity  of  water,  and  suffered  to  boil  half  an  hour,  stir- 
ring it  every  now  and  then  ; it  is  then  taken  out 
to  drain. 

It  is  necessary  to  observe,  that  whenever  spun 
wool  is  to  be  died,  a stick  is  passed  through  each 
hank  (which  commonly  weighs  one  pound)  and 
they  remain  on  the  stick  during  the  course  of  the 
work  to  prevent  their  entangling.  This  stick  al- 
so enables  the  dier  to  return  the  hanks  with  more 
ease,  by  plunging  each  part  successively  in  the  Ji- 


97 


^uor,  by  which  they  take  an  equal  die  ; by  raising 
the  hank  with  a stick,  and  drawing  it  hjilf  way  out 
of  the  copper,  seizing  the  other  end  of  the  hank 
with  the  other  hand,  it  is  plunged  towards  the 
bottom.  If  the  wool  be  too  hot,  this  may  be  done 
with  two  sticks,  and  the  oftener  this  is  repeated, 
the  more  even  will  be  the  die  ; the  ends  of 
the  sticks  are  then  placed  on  two  poles  to  drain. 
These  poles  are  fixed  in  the  wall  above  the  cop- 
per. 

Liquor  for  the  Kermes. 

While  this  prepared  wool  is  draining,  the  cop- 
per is  emptied,  and  fresh  water  put  in,  to  which  is 
added  about  a fifth  of  sour  water,  four  pounds  of 
Roman  alum  grossly  powdered,  and  two  pounds 
of  red  tartar.  The  whole  is  brought  to  boil,  and 
that  instant  the  hanks  are  dipped  in  (on  the  sticks) 
which  are  to  remain  in  for  two  hours,stirring  them 
continually  one  after  the  other  after  the  method  al- 
ii eady  laid  down. 

I must  in  this  place  observe,  that  the  liquor  in 
which  the  alum  is  put,  when  on  thepoint  of  boiling, 
sometimes  rises  so  suddenly  ihat  ircomes  over  the 
* copper,  if  not  prevented  by  addirfg  cold  water. 
If,  when  it  is  rising,  the  spun  woof  is  instantly- 
put  in,  it  stops  it  and  produces  the  same  effects  as 
cold  water. 

The  liquor  does  not  rise  so  suddenly  when  there 
is  a large  quantity  of  tartar  as  in  the  process  ; but 
1 when  the  alum  is  used  alone,  sometimes  above 
I half  the  liquor  comes  over  the  copper  when  it  be- 
' gins  to  boil,  if  not  prevented  by  the  method  de- 
i scribed. 

I 


When  the  wool  has  boiled  two  hours  in  this  li- 
quor, it  is  taken  out,  left  to  drain,  gently  squeezed 
and  put  into  a linen  bag,  in  a cool  place  for  fivt  or 
six  days,  and  sometimes  longer  ; this  is  called 
leaving  the  wool  in  preparation.  This  is  to  make 
it  penetrate  the  better,  and  helps  to  augment  the  ac- 
tion of  the  salts,  for  as  a part  of  the  liquor  always 
flies  olF,  it  is  evident  that  the  remaining,  being  ful- 
ler of  saline  particles,  becomes  more  active,  pro, 
vided  there  remained  a sufficient  quantity  of  hu, 
midity  ; for  these  salts  being  crystahzed  and  dry, 
would  have  no  more  action. 

I have  dwelled  much  longer  on  this  preparing 
liquor,  and  the  method  of  making  it,  than  I shall 
in  the  sequel,  as  there  are  a great  number  of  col- 
ours for  which  it  is  prepared  pretty  near  in  the 
same  proportion,  so  that  when  this  happens,  I shall 
slightly  describe  it,  mentioning  only  the  changes 
that  are  to  be  made  in  the  quantity  of  alum,  tartar, 
sour  water  or  other  ingredients. 

After  the  spun  wool  has  been  covered  five  or 
six  days,  it  is  fitted  to  receive  the  die.  A fresh 
liquor  is  then  prepared  according  to  the  quantity 
of  wool  to  be  died,  and  when  it  begins  to  be 
lukewarm,  take  12  ounces  of  powdered  kermes 
for  each  pound  of  wool  to  be  died,  if  a full  and  well . 
coloured  scarlet  is  wanted.  If  the  kermes  wa^  old 
^nd  flat,  a pound  of  it  would  be  required  to  each 
pound  of  wool.  When  the  liquor  begins  to  boil, 
the  yarn  (still  moist,  which  it  will  be  if  it  has  been 
well  wrapped  in  the  bag,  and  kept  in  a cool  place) 
is  put  in.  If  it  had  been  boiled  a long  time  before, 
and  grown  dry,  it  must  be  lightly  passed  through 
luke-warm  water,  and  well  squeezed  before  it  IS 
died. 


99 


Previous  to  its  being  dipped  in  the  copper  witji 
the  kermes,  a handful  of  wool  is  cast  in,  which  is 
let  to  boil  for  a minute  : this  takes  up  a kind  of 
black  scum,  which  the  kermes  cast  up,  by  which 
the  wool  that  is  afterwards  dipped  acquires  a finer 
colour.  This  handful  of  wool  being  taken  out, 
the  prepared  is  to  be  put  in.  The  hanks  are  pass- 
ed on  sticks  as  in  the  preparation,  continually 
stirring,  and  airing  them  one  after  the  other.  It 
must  boil  after  this  manner  an  hour  at  least,  then 
taken  out  and  placed  on  the  poles  to  drain,  after* 
wards  wrung  and  washed. 

The  die  still  remaining  in  theliquPs‘inay  serve 
to  dip  a little  fresh  parcel  of  preparcid  wool  ; it 
will  take  some  colour  in  proportion  ^o  the  good- 
ness and  quality  of  the  kermes  put  into  the  cop- 
per. 

When  different  shades  are  wanted,  a less  quan- 
tity of  kermes  is  used,  so  that  for  twenty  pounds 
of  prepared  wool,  seven  or  eight  are  sufficient. 

The  quantity  of  wool  that  is  to  have  the  lightest 
shade  is  first  to  be  dipped,  and  to  remain  no  long- 
er in  than  the  time  sufficient  toturn  it  and  make  it 
take  the  die  equally.  Then  the  next  deepest 
shade  intended  is  dipped,  and  left  to  remain  some 
time  longer  ; after  this  manner  the  work  is  con- 
tinued to  the  last,  wdiich  is  left  as  long  as  is  requi.. 
site  to  acquire  the  necessary  shade. 

The  reason  of  W’orking  the  lightest  shades  first, 
is,  that  if  the  yarn  is  left  too  long  in,  no  damage 
is  done,  as  that  hank  may  serve  for  a deeper  shade, 
whereas,  if  they  begin  by  a deeper,  there  would 
be  no  remedy  if  a failure  happened  in  some  of  the 
hghter  shades.  The  same  caution  is  to  be  taken 
in  all  colours  whose  shades  are  to  be  different. 


100 


There  are  seldom  more  shades  than  one  from 
the  colour  now  spoken  of ; but  as  the  working 
part  is  the  same  for  all  colours, what  has  been  said 
on  this  subject  will  serve  for  the  rest. 

The  yarn  thus  died,  before  bringing  it  to  the 
river,  may  be  passed  through  lukewarm  water,  in 
which  a small  quantity  of  soap  has  been  perfectly 
dissolved  ; this  gives  a brightness  to  the  colour, 
but  at  the  same  time  saddens  it  a little,  that  is, 
gives  it  a little  cast  of  the  crimson.  As  I shall 
often  make  use  of  the  terms  rotizing2C[id  saddening 
especially  in  the  acids,  it  is  necessary  to  explain 
their  meandg. 

Saddening^  is  giving  a crimson  or  violet  cast  to 
red  ; soap  and  alkaline  salts,  such  as  ley  of  ashes, 
pot- ashes,  lime,  sadden  reds  ; thus  they  serve  to 
bring  them  to  the  shade  required  when  too  bright 
and  that  they  are  too  much  rouzed. 

Rouzing,  is  doing  quite  the  reverse  ; it  is  giving 
a fire  lo  the  red,  by  making  it  border  on  the  yel- 
low or  orange.  I'his  is  performed  on  wool  by  the 
means  of  acids,  as  red  or  white  tartar,  cream  of 
tartar,  vinegar,  lemon  juice,  and  aqua  fortis. 
These  acids  are  added,  more  or  less,  according  to 
the  depth  of  the  orange  colour  required.  For  ex- 
ample, if  the  scarlet  of  grain  w^as  w^anted  to  be 
more  bright,  and  approach  somewhat  nearer  to 
commoii  scarlet,  a little  of  the  scarlet  composition 
which  shall  be  spoken  of,  must  be  poured  into  the 
liquor  after  the  kermes  is  put  in,  and  the  brown 
colour  of  thatliquor  would  immediatel}  be  brighten- 
ed by  the  acid,  and  become  of  a brighter  red  ; the 
wool  dipped  in  would  be  more  liable  to  be  spot- 
ted by  mud  and  acid  liquors  ; the  reason  will  ap- 
pear in  the  next  chapter# 


101 


I have  made  various  experiments  on  this  colour, 
in  order  to  make  it  fitter  and  brighter  than  what 
it  generally  is,  but  I never  could  extract  a red 
that  was  to  be  compared  to  that  of  cochineal. 

Of  all  the  liquors  which  I made  for  the  prepa- 
ration of  the  wool,  that  winch  was  made  with  the 
preparations  just  mentioned  succeeded  best.  By 
changing  the  natural  die  of  the  kermes,  by  difier- 
ent  kinds  of  ingredients  of  mctalic  solutions,  &c. 
various  colours  are  made,  which  I shall  immedi- 
ately speak  of, 

I shall  say  but  little  about  dicing  stuffs  with  this 
red,  as  the  proportion  cannot  be  prescribed  for 
each  yard  of  stuff,  on  account  of  their  breadth 
and  thickness,  or  the  quantity  of  wool  entering 
their  composition  ; practice  alone  will  teach  the 
necessary  quantity  for  each  sort  of  stuff ; however 
not  to  work  in  the  dark,  or  to  try  experiments  at 
random,  the  surest  way  will  be  to  weigh  the  stuffs, 
and  todiminishabout  yne  fourth  part  ofthe  colour* 
ing  ingredients  laid  dowai  for  spun  wool,  as  stuffs 
take  up  less  colour  inwardly,  their  texture  being 
more  compact,  prevents  its  penetration,  whereas 
yarn  or  wool  in  the  fleece  receives  it  equally  with- 
in and  without. 

The  aluni  and  tartar  for  the  liquor  of  prepara- 
tion for  the  stuffs  must  be  diminished  in  the  same 
proportion,  and  they  are  not  to  remain  in  the  pre- 
paring liquor  as  long  as  the  wool.  It  may  be  died 
the  next  day  after  boiling. 

If  wool  in  the  fleece  is  died  with  the  red  of  the 
kermes,  either  to  incorporate  it  with  cloths  of  a 
mixed  colour,  or  to  make  full  cloths,  it  will  have 
a much  finer  effect  than  if  the  wool  had  been  died 
in  the  red  of  madder.  I shall  mention  this  in  d€- 

12 


102 


scribing  the  compound  colours  in  which  the  ker- 
mes  is  used,  or  ought  at  least  to  be  used  in  prefer- 
ence to  madder,  which  does  not  give  so  fine  a 
red,  but,  being  cheaper,  is  commonly  substituted 
'for  it. 

Half  grain  scarlet,  or  bastard  scarlet  is  that 
which  is  made  of  equal  parts  of  kermes  and  mad- 
der. This  mixture  affords  a very  holding  colour, 
not  bright,  but  inclining  to  a blood  red.  It  is 
prepared  and  worked  in  the  same  manner  as  that 
made  of  kermes  alone.  This  die  is  much  cheap- 
er, and  the  diers  commonly  make  it  less  perfect 
by  diminishing  the  kermes  and  augmenting  the 
madder. 

By  the  proofs  that  have  been  made  of  scarlet  of 
grain  or  kermes, whether  by  exposingitto  the  sun 
or  by  different  proofs,  it  is  certain  there  is  not  a 
more  holding  or  a better  colour  ; yet  the  kermes 
is  no  where  in  use  but  at  Venice.  The  mode  of 
this  colour  has  been  entirely  out  since  the  making 
of  flame-coloured  scarlets.  This  scarlet  of  grain 
is  now  called  a colour  of  bullock’s  blood  ; ne\er- 
theless,  it  has  great  advantages  over  the  other,  for 
it  neither  blackens  nor  spots,  and  grease  may 
be  taken  out  without  prejudice  to  its  colour  ; but 
it  is  out  of  fashion  and  that  is  sufficient,  'fhis 
has  entirely  put  a stop  to  the  consumption  of  ker- 
mes in  France.  Scarce  a dier  knows  it,  and 
when  Monsieur  Colbert  wanted  a certain  quanti- 
ty for  the  experiments  above  related,  he  was  obli- 
ged to  send  for  it  to  Languedoc,  the  merchants  of 
Paris  keeping  only  a sufficiency  for  medicinal  pur- 
poses. 

When  a Dier  is  obliged  to  die  a piece  of  cloth, 
known  yei  under  Uie  name  of  scarlet  of  grain,  as 


105 


he  has  neither  the  knowledge  of  the  kermes,  nor 
the  custom  of  using  it,  he  makes  it  of  a cochineal, 
as  I shall  relate  in  the  following  chapter ; it  comes 
dearer,  and  is  less  holding  than  that  made  of  kcr- 
mes.  The  same  is  done  in  regard  to  spun  wool 
designed  for  tapestries,  and  as  this  shade  is  pretty 
difficult  to  hit  with  cochineal,  they  commonly 
mix  brazil  wood,  which  hitherto  has  been  a false 
ingredient,  permitted  only  in  the  lesser  die.  For 
this  reason  all  these  kind  of  reds  fade  in  a very 
short  time,  and  though  they  are  much  brighter 
than  required,  coming  out  of  the  hands  of  the 
workman, they  lose  all  their  brightness ; before  the 
expiration  of  a year,,  they  whiten  or  become  ex- 
ceeding grey ; it  is  therefore  to  be  wished  that 
the  use  of  kermes  was  again  established. 

It  is  also  certain,  that  if  some  Dier  set  about 
u sing  it,  there  are  several  colours  that  might  be  ex- 
tracted from  it  with  more  ease  and  less  expense 
than  the  common  method  ; for  these  colours 
would  be  better  and  more  holding,  and  he  would 
thereby  acquire  a greater  reputation.  I have 
made  above  fifty  experiments  with  the  kermes, 
from  which  some  use  in  practice  may  arise;  I shall 
only  relate  such  as  have  produced  the  most  sin- 
gular colours. 

By  mixing  the  kermes  with  cream  of  tartar^ 
without  alunii,  and  as  much  of  the  composition 
as  would  be  used  for  the  making  of  scarlet  with 
cochineal,  you  have  in  one  liquor  an  exceeding 
bright  cinnaniCMi,  for  nothing  but  the  acid  enter- 
ing in  the  mixture,  the  red  parts  of  the  kermes 
, become  so  minute  that  they  almost  escape  the 
sight  But  if*  this  cinnamon  colour  be  passed 
trough  a liquor  oi  Roman  alum,  part  of  this  red 


104 


appears  again  ; whether  it  be  by  the  addition  of  the 
alum,  that  drives  out  a part  of  the  acid  of  the  com- 
position, or  the  earth  of  the  alum  precipitated  by 
the  astriction  of  the  kermes,  \vhich  has  the  effect 
of  galls,  I know  not  ; but  this  red  thus  restored  is 
not  fine. 

With  cream  of  tartar  (the  composition  for  scar- 
let) and  alum,  in  greater  quantity  than  tartar,  the 
kermes  gives  a lilac  colour,  which  varies  ac- 
cording as  the  proportion  of  ingredients  are 
changed. 

If/^h  the  place  of  alum  and  tartar,  ready  pre- 
pared  tartar  of  vitriol  is  substituted,  which  is  a 
very  hard  salt,  resulting  from  the  mixture  of  the 
vitriolic  acid  and  a fixed  alkali,  such  as  the  oil  of 
tartar,  pet  ashes,  &c,  and  if,  Isay,  after  boiling 
the  kermes  in  a solution  of  a small  quantity  of  this 
salt,  the  stuff  be  dipped  in  and  boiled  one  hour,  it 
acquires  a tolerable  handsome  agath  grey,  and  in 
which  very  little  red  is  seen,  for  the  acid  of  the 
composition  having  too  much  divided  the  red  of  the 
kermes,  and  the  tartar  of  vitriol,  not  containing 
the  earth  of  the  alum,  it  could  not  re-unite  these 
red  atoms  dispersed  by  precipitation.  These  a- 
gath  greys  are  of  the  good  die,  for,  as  I have  ob- 
served in  the  chapter  treating  of  indigo,  the  tar- 
'tar  of  vitriol  is  a hard  salt,  which  is  not  calcined 
by  the  sun,  and  is  indissoluble  in  rain  water. 

Glauber  salts  mixed  with  the  kermes  entirely 
destroy  its  red,  and  give  an  earthy  grey  that  does 
not  stand  the  proof,  for  this  salt  neither  resists  cold 
water  nor  the  rays  of  the  sun,  which  reduce  it  into 
powder.  Vitriol  or  green  copperas,  and  blue  vi- 
friol  separated  substituted  for  alum,,  but  joined 


105 


to  the  crystal  of  tartar,  equally  destroy  or  veii 
the  red  of  the  kermes,  which  in  these  two  exper- 
iments produce  the  same  effect  as  if  galls  or  su- 
mach had  been  made  use  of;  for  it  precipitates 
the  iron  of  the  green  vitriol,  and  dies  the  cloth  of 
a grey  brown,  and  the  copper  of  the  blue  vitriol 
dies  it  of  an  olive. 

Instead  of  blue  vitriol,  I used  a solution  of  cop- 
per* in  aque  fortis,  which  also  prduced  an  olive 
colour  ; a convincing  proot  that  the  kermes  has 
the  precmitating  quality  of  the  galls,  since  it  pre- 
cipitates the  copper  of  the  vitriol  as  a decoction  of 
gall-nut  would. 

There  is  great  probability  that  what  renders  the 
red  of  the  kermes  as  holding  as  that  of  madder, 
is  from  the  insects  feeding  on  an  astringent  shrub, 
which  notwithstanding  the  changes  made  by  the 
digestion  of  the  juices  of  the  plant,  still  retains 
the  astringent  quality  of  the  vegetable,  and 
consequently  the  virtue,  and  so  gives  a great- 
er spring  to  the  pores  of  the  wool  to  contract 
themselves  quicker  and  with  greater  strength, 
when  it  comes  out  of  the  boiling  water,  and  is  ex- 
posed to  the  cold  air  ; for  I have  observed  that 
all  barks,  roots,  wood,  and  other  matters  thai  have 
some  astriction,  yield  colours  of  the  good  die. 

Violets  without  Blue, 

The  white  vitriol  of  glosar,  whose  basis  is  the 
zinck,  being  joined  with  the  chrysial  of  tartar, 
changes  the  red  of  the  kermes  into  violet.  Thus 
with  one  colouring  ingredient,  and  simple  chaR- 


“^erdigrise. 


106 


gcs,  violets  are  made  without  a blue  ground ; for 
this  compound  colour,  hitherto  only  obtained 
by  putting  a blue  on  a red,  or  a red  on  a blue,  is 
made  as  well  with  cochineal,  or  even  with  mad* 
der,  as  shall  be  shown  treating  of  these  two  ingre- 
dients. White  vitriol  being  extracted  from  a 
mine,  containing  lead,  arsenic,  and  several  other 
matters,  whose  recrements  melted  afterwards  with 
sand  and  alkaline  salts,  vitrifies  into  a blue  mass, 
called  safre»  I suspected  the  white  vitriol  might 
contain  a portion  of  this  blue,  which,  with  the  red 
of  the  kermes  might  have  changed  to  a violet  and 
consequently  that  the  mine  of  the  bismuth,  which 
really  contains  this  blue  matter,  and  the  bismuth 
itself  would  produce  the  same  effect  as  white  vi- 
triol ; neither  was  I mistaken  in  my  conjecture  ,• 
for  having  put  some  of  the  extract  of  the  mine  of 
bismuth  in  the  liquor  of  kermes,  and  some  of  the 
solution  of  the  bismuth  itself  upon  another  decoc- 
tion of  the  same  ingredient,  they  both  died  cloth 
of  a violet  colour.  I shall  not  here  give  the  pro^ 
cess  of  extracting  the  mine  of  bismuth,  for  it  is  a 
difficult  operation  for  a dier.  However  if  the 
reader  is  desirous  to  know  what  I mean  by  the 
extraction  of  the  mine  of  bismuth,  he  will  find  the 
process  in  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences  for 
the  year  1737,  where  there  is  a memoir  on  sym- 
pathetic inks.  As  to  the  solution  of  bismuth, 
which  produces  almost  the  same  effect,  it  is  made 
after  the  following  manner: 

Take  four  parts  of  spirits  of  nitre,  and  four  parts 
of  very  clear  water,  which  mix  together,  and  dis- 
solve therein  one  part  of  bismouth,  or  tin  glass, 
broken  in  small  pieces,  put  the  last  little  by  little 
into  the  liquor,  lest  they  should  occasion  too  vio- 


107 


lent  a fermentation.  Acids  put  in  too  great  abun- 
dance in  the  liquor  of  the  kermes,  whether  it  be 
spirits  of  vilriuL  aqua  fortis,  vinegar,  lemon  juice, 
even  sour  water,  so  greatly  divide  the  red  colour- 
ing particles,  that  the  cloth  receives  but  a cin- 
namon colour,  bordering  on  the  aurora,  if  there 
is  too  much  acid,  and  a little  redder  if  there  is 
less. 

Fixed  alkaline  salts,  mixed  with  sour  water  and 
cream  of  tartar,  in  the  place  of  alum,  do  not  de- 
stroy the  red  of  the  kermes  as  acids  do,  but  sad, 
dens  and  muds  it  if  too  much  be  put  in,  so  that  the 
clolh  receives  only  a faded  lilac  colour. 

Other  experiments,  still  more  diversified  than 
those  here  related,  presented  an  infinite  variety  of 
colours,  but  nothing  more  beautiful  than  what  may 
be  done  with  cheaper  drugs  than  the  kermes  ; I 
shall  therefore  pass  them  over. 

CHAPTER  X. 


yLAME-COLOUR£D  SCARLET. 

FLAME  coloured  scarlet,  that  is,  bright-coL 
©ured  scarlet,  known  formerly  under  the  name  of 
Dutch  scarlet,  (the  discovery  of  which  Kunkel  at- 
tributes to  Kuster,  a German  chymist)  is  the  finest 
and  brightest  colour  of  the  die.  It  is  also  the 
most  costly,  and  one  of  the  hardest  to  bring  to 
perfection.  It  is  not  easy  to  determine  the  point 
of  perfection,  for  independent  of  different  tastes 
•onceming  the  choice  of  colours,  there  are  also 
general  i^cie^  which  make  certain  colours  more 


108  ’ 

in  fashion  at  one  time  than  another ; when  this 
happens,  fashionable  colours  become  perfect  ones. 
Formerly  scarlets  were  chosen  full,  deep,  and  of  a 
degree  of  brightness  which  the  sight  easily  bore. 

At  this  time  they  must  be  on  the  orange, full  of  fire, 
and  of  a brightness  which  dazzles  the  eye,  1 shall  | 
not  decide  which  of  these  two  fashions  deserve  the  ' 
preference,  but  shall  give  the  method  of  making 
them  both,  and  all  the  shades  which  hold  a medi- 
um between  these  extremes. 

Cochineal,  which  yields  this  beautiful  colour, 
and  is  also  called  mesiick>  or  tescalle,  is  an  insect 
that  is  gathered  in  great  quantities  in  Mexico. 
The  natives  and  wSpaniards,  who  have  but  small 
establishments  there,  cultivate  them,  that  is,  care- 
fully gather  them  from  the  plant  on  which  they 
feed  before  the  rainy  season.  They  kill  and  dry 
those  designed  for  sale,  and  preserve  the  rest  to 
multiply  when  the  bad  season  is  over.  This  in- 
sect feeds  and  breeds  upon  a kind  of  prickly  opun- 
tia,  which  they  call  topal.  It  may  be  preserved 
in  a dry  place  for  ages  without  spoiling. 

The  cochineal  sv  Ivestre,  or  campessiane,  is  also 
brought  from  Vera  Cruz.  The  Indians  of  old 
and  New  Mexico  gather  this  kind  in  the  woods  ; 
it  feeds,  grows  and  generates  there,  on  the  wild 
uncultivated  opuntins  ; it  is  there  exposed  in  the 
rainy  season  to  all  the  humidity  of  the  air,  and  dies 
naturally.  This  cochineal  is  always  smaller  than 
the  fine  or  cultivated  ; the  colour  is  more  holding 
and  better,  but  has  not  the  same  brightness,  nei- 
ther is  it  profitable  to  use  it,  since  it  requires  four 
parts,  and  sometimes  more,  to  d(^  what  may  be 
done  with  one  of  fine. 

Sometimes  they  have  damaged  cochineal  at 


10!) 


Cadiz  ; this  is  fine  cochineal  that  has  been  wetted 
with  salt  water,  occasioned  by  some  shipwreck  or 
leakage.  These  accidents  considerably  diminish 
the  price,  the  sea  salt  saddening  the  die.  This 
kind  serves  only  to  make  purples,  and  even  those 
ar^ot  the  best.  However,  a person  in  1735  found 
ihesecret  to  turn  this  to  almost  as  much  advantage 
for  scarlet  as  the  finest  coc  hineal.  The  discovery 
of  this  secret  is  easy,  but  let  him  that  possesses  it 
enjoy  it,  1 shall  not  deprive  him  of  the  advantage 
he  might  have  in  it. 

Every  dier  has  a particular  receipt  for  dicing 
scarlet,  and  each  is  fully  persuaded  that  his  own 
is  preferable  to  all  others  ; yet  the  success  depends 
on  the  choice  oF  the  cochineal,  of  the  tvater  used 
in  the  die,  and  on  the  manner  of  preparing  the  so- 
lution of  tin,  which  the  diers  call  composition  of 
scarlet. 

As  it  is  this  composition  evhich  gives  the  bright 
flame  colour  to  the  cocifmeal  die,  and  which  witli- 
out  this  acid  liquor  would  naturally  be  of  a crim- 
son colour,  1 shall  describe  the  preparation  that 
succeeded  best  with  me. 


Com  posh  ion  Jar  Scarlet, 


Take  eight  ounces  of  spirit  of  nitre,  (wl)icb  is 
always  purer  than  the  common  aqua  fortis  mostly 
used  by  the  diers)  and*  be  certain  that  it  contains 


•Dissolve  in  a small  quantity  of  spirit  of  nitre  as  much  silver  as  it  will  take  ; 
jxita  few  drops  of  this  into  some  of  tne  spirit  of  nitre  that  is  to  be  proved  : 
if  this  spirit  remains  transparent,  it  is  pnrej  but  if  a white  clojid  be  perceirea 
which  will  afterwards  form  a sedi:uent,  it  is  a sign. that  there  is  a comuiiscture 
of  vitriol  or  spirit  of  salt.  In  order  therefore  to  render  the  spirit  of  nitre  al>- 
soluply  pure,  drop  the  solution  of  silver  gradually  into  it,  so  long  as  it  shall 
produce  the  least  turbidness,  time  being  given  for  the  spirit  to  become  clear 
•betwixt  each  addttioc.  The  spirit  of  nitre  being  then  poured  off  from  tiese4- 


110 


no  vitriolic  acid  ; weaken  this  nitrous  acid  by  put- 
ting it  into  eight  ounces  of  hitered  river  water;  dis- 
solve in  it, little  by  little, halt'un  ounce  of  very  white 
salt  ammoniac,  to  make  it  an  aqua  regia,  because 
spirits  of  nitre  alone  will  not  dissolve  block- tin. 
Lastly, add  two  drachms  of  salt- petre;  thismigh»l:)e 
emitted, but  I observed  that  it  was  of  use  in  making 
the  die  smooth  and  equal.  In  this  aqua  regia  thus 
weakened,  dissolve  one  ounce  of  the bestbiock- 
tin,  which  is  first  granulated  or  made  small  while 
melted  by  casting  it  from  a height  into  a vessel 
of  cold  water.  These  small  grains  of  tin  are  put 
into  the  dissolvent  one  by  one,  letting  the  first 
■dissolve  before  putting  in  others  ; this  prevents 
the  loss  of  the  red  vapours,  w^hich  would  rise  in 
great  abundance,  and  be  lost  if  the  dissolution  of 
the  metal  was  niiide  too  hastily  ; it  is  necessary 
to  preserve  these  vapours, and  asKunkel  observed, 
they  greatly  contribute  towards  the  brightness  of 
the  colour,  either  because  these  vapours  are  acids 
that  evaporate  and  are  lost,  or  contain  a sulphur 
peculiar  to  saltpetre,  which  gives  a brightness  to 
the  colour.  This  method  is  indeed  much  longer 
tlian  that  used  by  the  diers,  who  immediately 
pour  the  aqua  fortis  upon  the  tin  reduced  to  small 
pieces,  and  vvait  till  a strong  fermentation  ensues, 
and  a great  quantity  evaporates  before  they  weak- 
en it  with  common  water.  When  the  tin  is  thus 
dissolved,  this  scarlet  composition  is  made,  and 
the  liquor  is  of  the  beautiful  colour  of  dissolved 
,gold,  without  any  dirt  or  black  sediment,  as  I 
used  very  pure  tin  without  allay,  and  such  as 

iment,  will  be  perfectly  pure ; and  if  this  sediment  which  is  the  silver  precip- 
itate, be  evaporated  to  dryness,  and  then  infa^nd  in  a crucible  with  a small 
quantity  ofaity  alVaJlf  iait,itinUbe  reduced  to  its  proper  metalline 


Ill 


runs  from  the  first  melting  of  the  furnaces  of 
Cornwall.  This  solution  of  tin  is  very  transpa- 
rent when  newly  made,  and  becomes  milky  and 
opaque  during  the  great  heat  of  summer  ; the 
greatest  part  of  the  diers  are  of  opinion,  that  it  is^ 
then  changed  and  good  for  nothing  ; yet  mine, 
notwidistanding  this  defect,  made  as  bright  scar» 
let  as  if  it  had  i emained  clear  ; besides,  in  cold 
weather,  what  I made  recovered  its  first  transpa- 
rency. It  must  be  kept  in  a glass  bottle  with  m- 
stopper,  to  prevent  the  evapoiation  of  the  voliuile 
parts. 

As  the  diers  do  not  attend  to  this,  their  compo* 
sition  often  becomes  useless  at  the  end  of  twelve 
or  fifteen  days.  I have  laid  dow  n the  best  meth. 
od,  and,  if  they  seek  perfection,  they  will  abandon 
their  old  practice,  which  is  imperfect. 

The  diers  in  France  first  put  into  a stone  vessel 
with  a large  opening,  two  pounds  of  salt  ammoni- 
ac, tw'o  ounces  of  refined  sait-petre,  and  two 
pounds  of  tin  reduced  to  grains  by  water,  or,  which 
is  still  preferable,  the  filings  of  tin  ; for  when  it 
it  has  been  melted  raid  granulated,  there  is  always 
a small  portion  converted  into  a calx  which  does 
not  dissolve.  They  weigh  four  pounds  of  w^ater 
in  a separate  vessel,  of  which  they  pour  about  two 
ounces  upon  the  mixture  in  the  stone  vessel ; they 
then  add  to  it  a pound  and  a half  of  common  aqua 
fortis,,  which  produces  a violent  fermentation. 
When  the  ebullition  ceases,  they  put  in  the  same 
- quantity  of  aqua  for.tis,  and  an  instant  after  they 
add  one  pound  more.  They  then  put  in  the  re- 
mainder of  the  four  pounds  of  water  they  had  set 
aside  ; the  vessel  is  then  close  covered,  and  the 
Gomposkion  let  to  stand  till  the  next  day# 


112 


The  saltpetre  and  salt  ammoniac  are  sometimes 
dissolved  in  the  aqua  fortis  before  the  tin  is.  put 
in  ; they  practise  both  methods  indiscriminatMva 
though  it  is  certain  that  this  last  method  is  best. 
Others  mix  the  water  and  aqua  fortis  together, 
and  pour  this  mixture  on  the  tin  and  salt  am- 
moniac. In  short,  every  dier  follows  his  own 
method. 

JFater  for  the  Preparation  of  Scarlet. 

The  day  after  preparing  the  composition,  the 
water  for  the  preparation  of  scarlet  is  made,  which 
differs  from  that  made  in  the  preceding  chapter. 

Clear  the  water  well.  For  each  pound  of  spun 
wool,  put  twenty  quarts  of  very  clear  river  water 
(hard  spring  water  will  not  do)  into  a smallcopper. 
When  the  water  is  a little  more  than  lukewarm, 
two  ounces  of  the  cream  of  tartar  finely  powdered, 
and  one  drachm  and  a half  of  pow^dered  and  sifted 
cochineal  is  added.  The  fire  is  then  made  a little 
stronger,  and  when  the  liquor  is  ready  to  boil 
two  ounces  of  the  composition  are  put  in.  This 
acid  instantly  changes  the  colour  of  the  liquor, 
w^hich,  from  a crimson,  becomes  of  the  colour  of 
bLcod. 

As  soon  as  this  liquor  begins  to  boil,  the  wool 
is  dipped  in,  which  mtist  have  been  previously 
wetted  in  warm  ^^'ater  and  wrung.  The  wool 
is  continually  worked  in  this  liquor,  and  left  to  boil 
an  hour  and  a half;  it  is  then  taken  out,  slightly 
wrung,  and  w’ashed  in  fresh  water.  The  wool 
coming  out  of  the  liquor  is  of  a lively  flesh  colour, 
or  even  some  shades  deeper,  according  to  the 
goodness  of  the  cochineal,  and  the  strength  of  the 


r 


us 

composition.  The  colour  of  the  liquor  is  then 
entirely  passed  into  wool,  remaining  almost  as 
clear  as  common  water. 

This  is  called  the  water  of  preparation  for  scar- 
let, and  the  first  preparation  it  goes  through  before 
it  is  died  ; a preparation  absolutely  necessary, 
without  which  the  die  of  the  cochineal  would  net 
be  so  good. 

Reddening. 

To  finish  it,  a fresh  liquor  is  prepared  with  clear 
water,  the  goodness  of  the  water,  being  of  the 
greatest  importance  towards  the  perfection  of  the 
scarlet.  An  ounce  and  a half  of  starch  is  put  in,^ 
and  when  the  liquor  is  a little  more  than  lukewarm, 
six  drachms  and  a half  of  cochineal  finely  powder- 
ed and  sifted  is  thrown  in.  A little  before  the  li- 
quor boils,  two  ounces  of  the  composition  is 
poured  in,  and  the  liquor  changes  its  colour  as  in 
the  former.  It  must  boil,  and  then  the  wool  is 
put  into  the  copper,  and  continually  stirred  as  in 
the  former.  It  is  likewi^ie  boiled  an  hour  and  a 
half ; it  is  then  taken  out,  wrung,  and  washed. 
The  scarlet  is  then  in  its  perfection. 

One  ounce  of  cochineal  is  sufficient  for  a pound 
of  wool,  provided  it  be  worked  with  attention,  and 
after  the  manner  laid  down,  and  that  no  die  re- 
mains in  the  liquor.  For  coarse  cloth  less  would 
do,  or  half  as  much  for  worsted.  However,  if  it 
was  required,  to  be  deeper  of  cochineal,  a drachm 
or  two  might  be  added,  but  not  more,  for  it  would 
then  lose  its  lustre  and  brightness. 


Starch  softens-it. 

K 2 


114 


Though  I have  mentioned  the  quantity  of  the  \ 
composition,  both  in  the  water  of  the  preparation 
and  the  die.  yet  this  proportion  is  not  to  be  te^ken 
as  a fixed  rule. 

1 he  aqua  iortis,  used  by  the  diers,  is  seldom  | 
of  an  equal  strength  ; if,  therefore,  it  be  always  i 
mixed  with  an  equal  quantity  of  water,  the  com-  ^ 
position  would  not  produce  the  same  efiect  ; but  j 
there  is  a method  of  ascertaining  the  degree  of  a-  I 
cidity  of  aqua  foi  tis.  For  example  to  use  that  on-  j 
ly,  two  ounces  of  which  would  dissolve  (me  ' 
ounce  of  silver.  This  would  produce  a compo- 
sition tliat  would  be  always  equal,  but  the  quality, 
of  the  cochineal  would  then  produce  new  varie- 
ties, and  the  trifling  difierence  that  this  commonly 
causes  in  the  shade  of  scarlet  is  of  no  great  signi- 
fication,  as  more  or  less  may  be  used  to  bring  it 
precisely  to  the  colour  desired.  If  the  composi- 
tion be  weak, and  the  aforesaid  quantity  not  put  in, 
the  scarlet  will  be  a deeper  and  fuller  in  colour. 

On  the  contrary,  if  a little  more  is  added,  it  will 
be  more  on  the  orange,  and  have  what  is  called 
more  fire  ; to  rectify  which,  add  a little  of  the 
composition,  stirring  it  w'ell  in  the  copper,  hav- 
ing first  taken  out  the  wool  ; for  if  it  was  to  touch 
any  part  before  it  w^as  thoroughly  mixed,  it  W’ould 
blot  it.  If  on  the  contrary,  the  scarlet  has  too 
much  fire,  that  is,  too  much  on  the  orange,  or  too 
much  rouzed,  it  must  be  passed  through  clear 
warm  water  ; when  finish^,  this  sadd^is  it  a lit- 
tle, that  is  diminishes  its  bright  orange  ; if  there 
still  remained  too  much,  a little  Roman  alum 
must  be  mixed  with  the  hot  w^atcr. 

For  spun  wool  that  is  to  have  all  the  various 
shades  of  scarlet,  about  half  the  ccchineah  and 


115 


half  the  composition  for  full  scarlet  is  sufHcient. 
The  cream  of  tartar  must  also  be  diminished  pro- 
portionably  in  the  water  of  preparation,  'fhc 
wool  must  be  divided  into  as  many  hanks  or 
skains  as  there  are  to  be  shades,  and  when  the  li- 
quor is  prepared,  the  skains  that  are  to  be  light- 
est are  first  to  be  dipped,  and  to  remain  in  but  a 
very  short  space  of  time  ; then  those  that  are  to 
be  a little  deeper,  which  must  remain  in  some- 
what longer,  and  thus  proceeding  to  the  deepest , 
the  wool  is  then  to  be  w^ashed,  and  the  liquor  pre- 
pared to  finish  them.  In  this  liquor,  each  of  these 
shades  are  to  be  boiled  one  after  the  other,  begin- 
ning alway  s with  the  lightest,  and  if  they  are  per- 
ceived not  to  be  of  the  proper  shade  they  must 
be  passed  again  through  the  liquor.  The  eye  of 
a dier,  will  readily  judge  of  the  shades,  and  a lit- 
tle practice  will  bring  this  to  perfection. 

The  diers  are  divided  in  opinion  of  what  metal 
the  boiler  should  be  made.  In  Languedoc  they 
use  those  made  of  the  finest  block  tin,  and  sever- 
al diers  in  Paris  follow  the  same  method.  Yet 
that  great  dicr,  M.  de  Julienne,  w^hose  scarlets 
are  in  great  repute,  uses  brass.  The  same  is  us- 
ed in  the  great  manufactory  at  St.  Dennis.  M. 
de  Julienne,  to  keep  the  stuffs  from  touching  the 
boiler,  makes  use  of  a large  rope  net  w ith  close 
meshes.  At  St.  Dennis,  instead  of  a rope  net, 
they  have  large  baskets,  made  of  willow  stripped 
of  the  bark,  and  not  too  close  worked. 

As  so  much  had  been  said  concerning  the  met- 
al of  the  boiler,  I tried  the  experiment.  I took 
two  ells  of  white  sedan  cloth,  which  1 died  in  two 
separate  boilers  of  equal  size  ; one  was  of  brass, 
itted  with  a rope  net,  the  other  of  block  tin*  The 


(S)chineal,  the  composition,  and  other  ingredients, 
were  weighed  with  the  utmost  accuracy  and  boil- 
ed precisely  the  same  time.  In  short,  I took,  all 
possible  care  that  the  process  should  be  the  same 
in  both,  that  if  any  difference  arose  it  might  be  only 
attributed  to  the  different  metals  of  the  boil- 
er. After  the  first  liquor,  the  t wo  pieces  of  doth 
were  absolutely  alike  only  that  which  had  been 
boiled  in  the  tin  vessel  appeared  a little  more 
streaked  and  uneven,  which,  m ail  iikeliho-jd,  pro- 
ceeded from  these  two  ells  of  doth  being  less 
scoured  at  the  mill  than  the  two  others  ; the  two 
pieces  were  finished  each  in  the  separate  boilers, 
and  both  turned  out  very  fine  ; but  that  which  had 
been  made  in  the  tin  boiler  had  a little  more  fire 
than  the  other,  and  the  last  was  a little  more  sad- 
dened. It  would  have  been  an  easy  matter  to 
have  brought  them  both  to  the  same  sh.ide,  but 
that  was  not  my  intention. 

From  this  experiment,  I conclude,  that  W'hen 
a brass  boiler  is  used,  it  requires  a little  more  of 
the  composition  than  the  tin  one  ; but  this  addi- 
tion of  the  composition  makes  the  doth  feel  rough; 
to  avoid  this  defect,  the  Diers  who  use  brass  ves- 
sels put  in  a little  turmeric,  a drug  of  the  die,  but 
which  gives  to  scarlet  that  shade  which  is  now  in 
fashion  ; I mean  that  flame -colour,  which  the  eye 
is  scarce  able  to  bear. 

This  adulteration  is  easily  discovered  by  cutting 
a piece  of  the  cloth  ; if  there  is  no  turmeric,  the 
web  will  be  of  a fine  white,  but  yellow  if  there  is. 
When  the  web  is  dyed  the  same  as  the  surface,  it 
is  said  that  colour  is  webbed,  and  the  contrary^, 
when  the  middle  of  the  weaving  remains  white. 
The  lawlui  scarlet  is  never  dyed  in  the  web  : the 


117 


adulterated,  where  the  turmeric  or  fustic  has  been 
made  UbC  of,  is  more  liable  to  change  its  colour  in 
the  air  than  the  other.  But  as  the  brightest  scar- 
lets are  now  in  fashion,  and  must  have  a yellow 
©ast,  it  is  better  to  tolerate  the  use  of  turmeric, than 
to  use  too  great  a quantity  of  the  composition  to 
bring  the  scarlet  to  this  shade  ; for  in  this  last 
©else,  the  cloth  would  be  damaged  by  it,  would  be 
sooner  spotted  by  dirt  from  the  quality  of  the 
acid,  and  would  be  more  easily  torn,  because  acids 
stiffen  the  fibres  of  the  wool, and  render  them  brit- 
tle. 

I must  also  take  notice,  that  if  a copper  vessel 
is  used  it  cannot  be  kept  too  clean.  I have  failed 
several  times  with  my  patterns  of  scarlet,  by  not 
having  the  copper  scoured. 

I cannot  help  condemning  the  common  practice 
of  some  diers,  even  the  most  eminent,  who  pre- 
pare their  liquor  over  niglit,  ^ and  keep  it  hot  till 
next  morning,  when  they  dip  in  their  stuffs  ; this 
they  do,  not  to  lose  time,  but  it  is  certain  that  the 
liquor  corrodes  the  copper  in  that  space,  and  by 
introducing  particles  of  copper  in  the  cloth,  pre- 
judices the  beauty  of  the  scarlet.  They  may  say 
they  only  put  in  their  composition  just  at  the  time 
when  the  cloth  is  ready  to  be  dipt  in  the  copper  ; 
hut  the  cream  of  tartar,  or  the  white  tartar,  which 
they  put  in  over  night,  is  an  acid  salt  sufficient  to 
corrode  the  copper  of  the  vessel,  and  form  a ver- 
digrise,  although  it  dilutes  itself  as  it  forms,  .still 
has  not  a less  effect. 

It  would  therefore  be  better  to  make  use  of  tin 
boilers,  a boiler  of  this  metal  must  contribute  to 
the  beauty  of  scarlet;  but  these  boilers  of  a suffi- 
cient size  cost  much,  and  may  be  melted  by  the 


118 


! 


©egligence  of  the  workmen,  and  there  is  a difficui-  ! i 
ty  in  casting  them  of  so  great  a size  without  sand-  ■ iX 
flaws,  which  must  be  filled.  Now  if  these  sand^  d 
holes  are  filled  with  solder,  there  must  of  necessi-  v 
ty  be  places  in  the  boiler  that  contain  lead  ; this  | j 
lead  in  time  being  corroded  by  the  acid  of  the  com-  i 
position,  will  tarnish  the  scarlet.  But  if  such  a 
boiler  could  be  cast  without  any  sand-holes,  it  is 
certain  such  a one  w^ould  be  preferable  to  all  oth- 
ers, as  it  contracts  no  rust,  and  if  tlte  add  of  the 
liquor  detaches  some  parts,  they  cannot  be  hurt-  I 
ful. 

Having  laid  down  the  manner  of  dicing  spun 
wool  in  scarlet,  and  its  various  shades,  which  arc  | 
so  necessary  for  tapestry  and  other  work,  it  is 
proper  to  give  an  idea  of  the  dicing  of  several  pieces 
of  stuff  at  one  time.  I shall  relate  this  operation 
as  it  is  pract’sed  in  Languedoc.  I made  the  trial  ‘ 
on  some  ells  of  stuff,  which  succeeded  very  well,  ' 
but  this  scarlet  was  not  so  fine  as  the  flame- col- 
oured. 

'Fhere  are  two  reasons  why  the  wool  is  not  died 
before  it  is  spun  (for  fine  colours)  first  in  the 
course  of  the  manufacturing,  that  is,  either  in  the 
spinning,  carding,  or  weaving,  it  would  be  almost 
impossible  in  a large  workshop,  where  there  are 
many  workmen,  but  that  some  particles  of  w^hite 
wool,  or  some  other  colour  would  mix,  which 
would  spoil  that  of  the  stuff  by  blotting  it  ever  so 
little  ; for  that  reason,  the  reds,  the  blues,  the 
yellows,  the  greens,  and  all  other  colours,  that  are 
to  be  perfectly  uniform,  are  never  died  before  they 
are  manufactured. 

The  second  reason,  which  is  peculiar  to  scarlet, 
or  rather  to  cochineal,  is,  that  it  will  not  stand  the 


119 


milling,  and  as  the  greatest  part  of  high  stuffs  must 
be  milled  after  they  are  taken  from  the  loom,  the 
cochineal  would  lose  part  of  its  colour,  or  at  least 
would  be  greatly  saddened  by  the  soap,  which 
produces  this  effect  by  the  alkaline  salt  which  de- 
stroys the  brightness  given  to  the  red  by  the  acid. 
These  are  the  reasons  that  the  cloths  and  stuffs  arc 
not  died  in  scarlet,  light  red,  crimson,  violet, 
purple,  and  other  light  colours,  but  after  being  en, 
tirely  milled  and  dressed. 

To  die,  for  example,  five  pieces  of  cloth  at  one 
timeof  five  quarters  breadth,  and  containing  fifteen 
or  sixteen  ells  each,  the  following  proportions  are 
to  be  observed.  Put  into  a stone  or  glazed  earthen 
pot  twelve  pounds  of  aquafortis, and  twenty  pounds 
of  water,  to  which  add  a pound  and  a hall  of  tin, 
made  in  grains  by  running  it  in  water,  or  filed. 
The  dissolution  is  made  quicker  or  slower,  ac- 
cording to  the  greater  or  lesser  acidity  of  the  aqua 
fort  is.  Idle  whole  is  left  to  rest  twelve  hours  at 
least,  during  which  time  a kind  of  black  mud  set- 
tles at  the  bottom  of  die  vessel ; what  swims  oyer 
this  sediment  is  poured  off  by  inclination  ; this 
liquor  is  clear  and  yellow,  and  is  the  composition 
which  is  to  be  kept  by  itself. 

This  process  differs  from  the  first  in  the  quan- 
tity of  water  mixt  with  the  aqua  fortis,  and  in  tiic 
^mall  quantity  of  tin,  liule  of  which  must  remain 
in  the  liquor, since  aqua  fortisalone  cannot  dissolve 
it,  but  only  corrodes  it,  and  reduces  it  to  a calx, 
as  there  is  neither  salt  petre,  nor  salt  ammoniac 
which  would  form  an  aqua  regia.  However,  the 
effect  of  this  composition  differs  from  the  first  on. 
ly  to  the  eyes  accustomed  to  judge  of  that  colour. 

This  composition  made  wiihguisait  ammouiac, 


and  which  hasbeen  of  Icrp' use  amongst  a great  miui- 
ber  of  manufacturers  at  Carcassone,  who  certainly 
imagined  that  its  effect  was  owing  to  the  sulphur 
of  the  tin,  can  only  keep  thirty-six  hours  in  winter 
without  spoiling,  and  twenty  four  hours  in  sum- 
mer ; at  the  expiration  of  which  it  grows  muddy, 
and  a cloud  precipitates  to  the  bottom  of  the  ves-. 
sel,  which  changes  to  a white  sediment.  This  is 
the  small  quantity  of  tin,  which  was  suspended  in 
the  acid,  but  an  acid  .not  prepared  for  that  metal ; 
the  composition  which  ought  to  be  yello\v  becomes 
at  that  time  as  dear  as  water,  and  if  used  in  that 
state  would  not  succeed  ; it  would  Iiave  the  same 
effect  as  that  which  would  become  milky. 

The  late  M.  Baron  pretended  to  have  been  the 
first  discoverer  at  Carcassone  of  the  necessity  of 
adding  salt  ammoniac  to  hinder  the  tin  from  pre- 
cipitating. If  so,  there  was  no  one  in  that  town 
that  knew  that  tin  cannot  be  really  dissolved  but 
by  aqua  regia. 

Having  prepared  the  composition  as  I have  des- 
cribed  itafter  M.  de  Fondriers,  about  sixty  cubic- 
al f(  et  of  W’ater  are  put  into  a large  copper  for  the 
five  pieces  of  doth  before  mentioned,  and  when 
the  water  grows  warm,  a bag  with  bran  is  put  in, 
sometimes  also  sour  waters  are  used  ; the  one 
and  the  other  serve  to  correct  the  water,  that  is,  to 
absorb  the  earthy  and  alkaline  matters  which  may 
be  in  it,  and  which,  as  I have  already  said, saddens 
the  dye  of  the  cochineal,  for  the  effect  of  the  w ater 
ought  to  be  well  known, and  experience  will  teach 
whether  such  expedients  should  be  used, or  wheth- 
er the  water,  being  very  pure  and  denulattd  of 
salts  and  earthy  partidcs,  can  be  used  w ithoiit 
such  helps, 


121 


Be  that  as  it  will,  as  soon  as  the  water  begins  to 
be  little  more  than  luke- warm, ten  pounds  of  pow- 
dered cream  of  tartar  is  flung  in,  that  is, two  pounds 
for  each  piece  of  cloth.  The  liquor  is  then  raked 
strongly,  and  when  it  grows  a little  hotter,  half  a 
pound  of  powdered  cochineal  is  cast  in,  which  is. 
well  mixt  with  sticks  ; immediately  after,  twenty^ 
seven  poundsof  the  composition  very  clear  is  pour- 
ed in,  which  is  also  well  stirred,  and  as  soon  as 
the  liquor  begins  to  boil,  the  cloths  are  put  in, 
whidy  are  made  to  boil  strongly  for  two  hours, 
stirring  them  continually  by  the  help  of  the  wynch; 
they  are  then  taken  out  upon  the  scray,  and  well 
handled  three  or  four  times  from  end  to  end,  by 
passing  the  lists  between  the  hands  to  air  and  cool 
them.  They  are  afterwards  washed. 

After  the  cloth  has  been  washed,  the  copper  is 
emptied  and  a fresh  liquor  prepared,  to  which  if 
necessary,  a bag  with  bran  or  some  sour  water  is 
added,  but  if  the  water  is  of  a good  cjuality,  these  are 
to  be  omitted,  when  the  liquor  is  ready  to  boil,  eight 
pounds  and  aquartcrof powder  ed  and  siftedcochine'al 
is  put  in,  which  is  to  be  mixed  as  equally  as  possible 
throughout  the  liquor,  and  haviiig  left  off' stirring, 
it  is  to  be  observed  when  the  cochineal  rises  on  the 
surface  of  the  water,  and  forms  a crust  oi'lhe  col- 
our of  the  lees  of  wine ; the  instant  this  crust  opens 
ofitself in  several  places, eighteen  or  twenty  pounds 
of  the  composition  is  to  be  added,  A vessel  with 
^old  W'ater  must  be  at  hand  to  cast  on  the  liquor  in 
case  it  should  rise,  as  it  sometimes  does,  after  the 
composition  is  put  in. 

As  soon  as  the  compostiif>n  is  In  the  coppcr,a!'d 
equally  distributed  ihroaghont  the  whole  he 
cloth  is  cast  in,  and  the  wynch  strongly  turneci 


122 


two  or  three  times,  that  all  the  pieces  may  equally 
take  the  dye  of  the  cochineal.  Afterwards  it  is 
turned  slowly  to  let  the  water  boil,  which  it  must 
do  very  fast  for  one  hour, always  turning  the  wynch 
and  sinking  the  cloth  in  the  liquor  with  sticks, 
when  by  boiling  it  rises  too  much  on  the  surface. 
The  cloth  is  then  taken  out,  and  the  lists  passed 
between  the  hands  to  air  and  cool  it  ; it  is  then 
washed,  after  which  it  is  to  be  died  and  dressed. 

In  each  piece  of  the  Languedoc  scai  let  cloth 
there  is  used,  as  has  been  shewn,  one  pound  and 
three  quarters  of  cochineal  in  the  die  and  prepara- 
tion ; this  quantity'  is  sufficient  to  give  the  cloth 
a very  beautiful  colour.  If  more  cochineal  was 
added,  and  a deeper  orange  colour  required,  the 
quantity  of  the  composition  must  be  augmented. 

When  a great  quantity  of  stuffs  are  to  be  died 
in  scarlet,  a considerable  profit  arises  by  doing 
them  together,  for  the  same  liquor  serves  for  the 
second  dip  which  was  used  for  the  first.  For  ex- 
ample ; when  the  five  first  pieces  are  finished, there 
always  remains  in  the  liquor  a certain  quantity  of 
cochineal,  which  in  seven  pounds  may  amount  to 
twelve  ounces  ; so  that  if  this  liquor  be  used  to 
die  other  stuffs,  the  cloths  dipped  in  it  will  have 
the  same  shade  of  rose  colour  as  if  they  had  been 
died  in  a fresh  liquor  with  twelve  ounces  of  coch- 
ineal ; yet  this  quantity  may  vary  pretty  much, 
according  to  the  quality  or  choice  of  the  cochin- 
cal,  or  according  to  the  fineness  it  has  been  reduc- 
cd  to  when  powdered.  I shall  say  no  more  of  this 
before  I finish  this  chapter  ; but  whatever  colour 
may  remain  in  the  liquor,  it  deserves  some  atten- 
tion on  account  of  the  highpiice  of  this  drug.  The 
same  liquor  is  then  made  use  of  for  other  five  pie^ 


®es,  and  less  cochineal  and  composition  arc  pu  'in 
proportion  to  what  may  be  judged  to  remain  ; fire 
and  time  are  also  saved  by  this,  and  rose  colour 
and  flesh- colour  may  also  be  produced  from  it ; 
but  if  the  diers  have  no  leisure  to  make  these  dif- 
ferent liquors  in  twenty -four  hours,  the  colour  of 
the  liquor  corrupts,  grows  turbid,  ^d  loses  the 
rose  colour  entirely.  To  prevent  this  corruption 
some  put  in  Roman  alum,  but  the  scarlets  which 
are  prepared  after  that  manner  are  ill  saddened. 

When  cloths  of  different  qualities,  or  any  other 
stuffs  are  to  be  died,  the  surest  method  is  to  weigh 
them,  and  for  each  hundred  weight  of  cloth  add 
about  six  pounds  of  chrystal  or  cream  of  tartar, 
eighteen  pounds  of  composition  in  the  water  of  pre- 
paration,as  much  for  the  reddening,and  six  pounds 
and  a quarter  of  cochineal.  Thus  in  proportion 
for  ©ne  pound  of  stuff  use  one  ounce  of  cream  of 
tartar,  six  ounces  of  composition,  and  one  ounce  of 
cochineal  ; some  eminent  diers  at  Paris  put  two 
thirds  of  the  composition  and  a fourth  of  the  co» 
chineal  in  the  water  of  preparation,  and  the  other 
third  of  the  composition  with  three  fourths  of  the 
cochineal  in  reddening. 

It  is  not  customary  to  put  cream  of  tartar  in  the 
reddening,  yet  I am  certain  by  experience,  that 
does  not  hurt,  provided  the  quantity  does  not  ex- 
ceed half  the  weight  of  the  cochineal,  and  it  ap- 
peared to  me  to  make  a more  lasting  colour.  Some 
diers  have  made  scarlet  with  three  dippings  : 
namely,  a first  and  second  water  for  preparation, 
and  then  the  reddening  ; but  still  the  same  quan- 
tity of  drugs  is  always  used. 

I observed  in  the  foregoing  chapter,  that  the 
little  use  made  of  kermes  for  the  brown  or  VeJte- 


124 


ti§n  scarlets,  obliges  most  diers  to  make  them 
with  cochineal ; for  this  purpose  a water  of  prepa- 
ration is  made  as  usual  ; and  for  the  reddening, 
eight  pounds  of  alum  are  added  for  each  hundred 
weight  of  stuff ; this  alum  is  dissolved  by  itself 
in  a kettle,  with  a sufficient  quantity  of  water,  then 
poured  into  the  liquor  before  the  cochineal  is  put 
in.  The  remainder  is  performed  exactly  as  in  the 
common  scarlet;  this  is  the  Venetian  scarlet,  but 
it  has  not  near  the  same  solidity  as  if  made  with 
the  kermes. 

There  are  no  alkaline  salts  which  do  not  sadden 
scarlet ; of  this  number  are  the  salt  of  tartar,  pot- 
ash, pearLashes  calcined,  and  nitre  fixed  by  fire  ; 
therefore  alum  is  more  generally  used  ; and  if 
these  alkaline  salts  be  boiled  with  the  stuffs,  they 
would  considerably  damage  them,  for  they  dis^ 
solve  all  animal  substances.  If  the  alum  be  cal- 
cined, it  is  still  the  more  secure. 

The  redder  the  scarlet  is  the  more  it  has  been 
saddened;  from  thence  it  appears  that  thesecolours 
lose  in  the  liquor -that  browns  them  a part  of  their 
ground ; however  one  cannot  browm  in  the  good 
dye  but  with  salts.  The  late  M.  Baron  observes, 
in  a memoir  he  gave  some  time  ago  to  the  Roy- 
al Academy  of  Sciences, that  of  all  the  salts  he  had 
made  use  of  for  browning,  making  the  colour 
smooth,  and  preserving  its  brightness  and  deep- 
ness, he  had  succeeded  best  with  salt  of  urin,  but, 
as  he  observes,  it  is  too  troublesome  to  make  this 
salt  in  any  quantity. 

I said  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  that  the 
choice  of  the  water  for  dying  of  scarlet  was  very 
material,  as  the  greatest  part  of  common  water 
saddens  it,  for  they  mostly  contain  a chalky,  calca- 


. 125 


reou3  earth  and  sometimes  a sulphureous  or  vitri- 
olic acid  ; these  are  commonly  called  hard  waters, 
that  is,  they  will  not  dissolve  soap  or  boil  vegeta- 
bles well.  By  finding  a method  of  absorbing  or 
precipitating  these  hurtful  matters,  all  waters  may 
be  equally  good  for  this  kind  of  die  ; thus,  if  aL 
kaline  matters  are  to  be  removed,  a little  sour  wa- 
ter produces  this  effect  ; for  if  five  or  six  buckets 
of  these  sour  waters  are  mixed  with  sixty  or  sev- 
enty of  the  hard  water  before  it  comes  to  boil, 
these  alkaline  earths  rise  in  a scum,  which  is  easi- 
ly taken  off  the  liquor. 

All  that  I have  hitherto  said  in  this  chapter  is 
for  the  instruction  of  diers  ; I shall  now  make  an 
attemj)t  to  satisfy  the  philosopher  how  these  differ- 
ent effects  are  produced. 

Cochineal,  infused  or  boiled  by  itself  in  pure  wa- 
ter, gives  a crimson  colour  bordering  on  the  pur- 
ple ; this  is  its  natural  colour  ; put  it  into  a glass 
and  drop  on  it  spirits  of  nitre  ; this  colour  will 
become  yellow,  and  if  you  still  add  more,  you  will 
scarcely  perceive  that  there  was  originally  any  red 
in  the  liquor  ; thus  the  acid  destroys  the  red“by 
dissolving  it  and  dividing  its  parts  so  minutely  that 
they  escape  the  sight.  If  in  this  experiment  a 
vitriolic,  instead  of  a nitrous  acid  be  used,  the  first 
changes  of  the  colour  wdll  be  purple,  then  purpled 
lilac,  after  that  a light  lilac,  then  flesh.colour,  and 
lastly,  colourless  This  bluish  substance,  w^hich 
mixes  with  the  red  to  form  a purple,  may  proceed 
from  that  small  portion  of  iron  from  which  oil  of 
vitriol  is  rarely  exempt.  In  the  liquor  of  prepara- 
tion for  scarlet,  no  other  salt  but  cream  of  tartar 
is  used,  no  alum  is  added  as  in  the  common  pre- 
paring water  for  other  colours,  because  it  would 
L 2 


126 


sadden  the  dye  by  its  vitriolic  acid  ; yet  a calx  or 
lime  is  required,  which  with  the  red  parts  of  the 
cochineal,  may  form  a kind  of  lake  like  that  the 
painters  use,  which  may  set  in  the  pores  of  the 
wool  by  the  help  of  the  crystal  of  tartar. 

This  white  calx  is  found  in  the  solution  of  very 
pure  tin,  and  if  the  experiment  of  the  die  is  made 
in  any  small  glazed  earthen  vessel,  immediately  on 
the  cochineal’s  communicating  its  tincture  to  the 
water,  and  then  adding  the  composition  drop  by 
drop,  each  drop  may  be  perceived  with  a glass  or 
lens,  to  form  a small  circle,  in  which  a brisk  fer- 
mentation is  carried  on  ; the  calx  of  the  tin  will 
be  seen  to  separate,  and  instantaneously  to  take 
the  bright  die,  which  the  cloth  will  receive  in  the 
sequel  of  the  operation. 

A further  proof  that  this  white  calx  of  tin  is  ne- 
cessary in  this  operation,  is,  that  if  cochineal  was 
used  with  aqua  fortis,  or  spirits  of  nitre  alone  a 
very  ugly  crimson  would  be  obtained  ; if  a solu- 
tion of  any  other  metal  was  made  use  of  in  spirits 
of  nitre,  as  of  iron  or  mercury,  from  the  first  would 
be  had  a deep  cinder  grey,  and  from  the  second,  a 
chesnut  colour  with  green  streaks,  without  being 
able  to  trace  in  the  one  or  other  any  remains  of  the 
red  of  the  cochineal.  Therefore,  by  what  I have 
laid  down,  it  may  be  reasonable  to  suppose,  that 
the  white  calx  of  the  tin,  having  been  died  by 
the  colouring  parts  of  the  cochineal,  rouzed  by 
the  acid  of  the  dissolvent  of  this  metal,  has  form- 
ed this  kind  of  earthy  lake,  whose  atoms  have 
introduced  themstlve*  into  the  pores  of  the  wool, 
which  were  opened  by  the  boiling  water,  that 
they  are  plaistered  by  the  crystal  of  tartar,  and 
these  pores,  suddenly  contracting  by  the  immedi- 


12? 


ate  cold  the  cloth  was  exposed  to  by  airing,  that 
these  colouring  particles  are  found  sufficiently  set 
in  to  be  of  the  good  die,  and  that  the  air  will  take 
off  the  primitive  brightness,  in  proportion  to  the 
various  matters  with  which  it  is  impregnated.  In 
the  country,  for  example,  and  pa'iicularly  if  the 
situation  be  high,  a scarlet  cloth  preserves  its 
brightness  much  longer  than  in  great  cities  where 
the  urinous  and  alkaline  vapours  are  moreabund^ 
ant.  h’or  the  same  reason, the  country  mud, which 
in  roads  is  generally  but  an  earth  diluted  by  rain 
water,  does  not  stain  scarlet  as  the  mud  of  toW' ns 
where  there  are  urinous  matters,  and  often  a great 
deal  of  dissolved  iron,  as  in  the  streets  of  g eat 
cities,  for  it  is  well  known  that  any  alkaline  n:at- 
ter  destroys  the  effect  which  an  acid  has  produc- 
ed on  any  colour  whatsoever.  And  for  the  like  rea- 
son if  a piece  of  scarlet  is  boiled  in  a ley  of  pot- 
ash, this  colour  becomes  purple,  and  by  a contin- 
uation of  boiling  it  is  entirely  taken  out  ; thus 
from  this  fixed  alkali,  and  the  crystal  of  tartar,  a 
soluble  tartar  is  made,  which  the  water  dissolves 
and  easily  detaches  from  the  pores  of  the  wool ; 
all  the  mastic  of  the  colouring  parts  is  then  de- 
stroyed, and  they  enter  into  the  leys  of  the  salts. 

I have  tried  several  experiments  on  the  die  of 
cochineal,  to  discover  what  might  be  produced 
from  the  union  of  its  red  with  other  different  mat- 
ters, which  generally  are  not  esteemed  colouring  ; 
but  I shall  only  relate  here  such  as  had  the  most 
singular  efi'ects. 


12B 


T Experiments  on  Cochineal  liquorl 

Zinc  dissolved  in  spirit  of  nitre  changes  the  red 
©f  cochineal  to  a slaty  violet  colour. 

The  salt  of  lead  used  instead  of  cream  of  tartar, 
makes  a lilac  somewhat  faded  ; a proof  that  some 
portion  of  lead  is  joined  to  the  colour  of  the  cochi- 
neal. 

Vitriolated  tartar  made  with  pot  -ash  and  vitriol 
destroys  its  red,  and  there  only  remains  an  agath 
grey. 

Bismuth  dissolved  in  spirit  of  nitre,  weakened 
by  an  equal  part  of  common  water,  and  poured 
on  the  liquor  of  cochineal,  gives  the  cloth  a dove- 
grey,  very  beautiful  and  very  bright. 

A solution  of  copper  in  spirit  of  nitre  not  weak- 
ened, gives  to  the  cochineal  a dirty  crimson. 

Cupullated  silver,  a cinnamon  colour,  a little 
on  the  brown. 

Arsenic  added  to  the  liquor  of  cochineal,  gives 
a brighter  cinnamon  than  the  preceding. 

Gold  dissolved  in  aqua  regia  gave  a streaked 
chesnut,  which  made  the  cloth  appear  as  if  it  had 
been  manufactured  with  wool  of  different  colours. 

Mercury  dissolved  with  spirit  of  nitre,  produces 
pretty  near  the  same  effect. 

Glauber’s  salts  alone  destroys  the  red,  like  the 
vitriolated  tartar,  and  produces  like  that  an  agath 
grey,  but  not  of  the  good  die  ; because  this  salt 
easily  dissolves  even  in  cold  water,  and  besides  it 
calcines  in  the  air. 

The  fixed  salt  of  urine  gives  a cinder-  grey  coL 
our,  where  not  the  least  tincture  of  red  is  perceiv- 
ed, and  like  the  foregoing  is  not  of  a good  die,  for 
it  is  a salt  that  cannot  foriB  a solid  cement  in  the 


129 


pores  of  the  wool,  as  it  is  soluble  by  the  moisture 
©f  the  air. 

w 

Violet  without  Blue. 

Lastly,  the  extract  of  bismuth  changes  the  co- 
chineal red  to  a purple,  almost  violet,  as  beautiful 
as  if  this  red  had  been  put  on  a cloth  that  had  been 
previously  died  of  a sky-blue. 

From  these  experiments  it  is  evident,  that  the 
salts  and  metallic  solutions  yield  particles  which 
unite  themselves  with  the  particles  of  the  colour- 
ing ingredients  used  in  dicing,  and  which  salts  and 
particles  contribute  greatly  to  the  tenacity  of  the 
colours. 

Before  I finish  this  chapter  on  scarlet,  I must 
add  some  observations  which  perhaps  the  reader 
may  be  glad  to  know. 

Neither  the  mud  of  the  streets  nor  several  acid 
matters  can  stain  scarlet,  if  the  spotted  part  is  im- 
mediately washed  with  plain  clean  water  and  a 
clean  cloth  ; but  if  the  mud  has  had  time  to  dry, 
then  the  spot  appears  of  a violet  black  ; this  can- 
not be  taken  off  but  by  a vegetable  acid,  such  as 
vinegar,  lemon-juice,  or  a warm  solution  of  white 
tartar  slightly  loaded  with  salts ; but  if  these  aeids 
are  not  made  use  of  with  precaution  and  skill  in 
takingoffthe  black  spot,  a yellow  one  will  succeed, 
because  as  has  been  said  before,  the  acids  rouze 
and  even  destroy  the  red  of  the  cochineal. 

But  there  are  some  for  w^hich  the  colour  must 
be  discharged,  and  the  stuff  died  again.  There 
are  other  salts  besides  alkalis  which  w ill  discharge 
the  colour  of  scarlet ; for  if  a piece  of  scarlet  cloth 
be  put  into  the  water  of  preparation  for  that  colour 


150 


it  will  lose  a great  part  of  its  colour,  insomuch, 
that  if  it  was  sewed  with  two  or  three  pieces  of 
white  clothf*it  would  be  difhcult  after  one  hours 
boiling  to  distinguish  which  was  the  scarlet  from 
the  others  ; but  if  it  was  boiled  afresh  in  a liquor, 
of  cochineal  or  in  the  reddening,  it  would  regain 
its  first  colour. 

Scarlets  abvays  lose  some  part  of  their  bright-  I 
ness  in  the  dressing,  for  the  dressing  lays  the  hair, 
and  forces  the  fibres  to  be  almost  parallel  to  the  i 
web.  In  this  case  the  cloth  has  numerically  i 
less  surface,  and  consequently  less  rays  of  light  are 
reflected  from  it.  Besides  the  extremity  of  the 
hair  is  always  most  penetrated  with  the  die  which 
causes  the  brightness,  and  when  it  is  laid  on  the 
cloth,  the  greatest  part  of  these  points  appear  no 
more. 


CHAPTER  XL 


OF  CRIMSON. 

CRIMSON,  as  I have  already  observed,  is  the 
natural  colour  of  the  cochineal,  or  rather,  that 
which  it  gives  to  wool  boiled  with  alum  and  tartar, 
which  is  the  usual  water  of  preparation  for  all 
colours.  This  is  the  method  which  is  common- 
ly practised  for  spun  wool  ; it  is  almost  the  same 
for  cloths,  as  will  be  seen  hereafter. 

For  each  pound  of  wool,  two  ounces  and  a half 
of  alum,  and  an  ounce  and  a half  of  white  tartar, 
are  put  into  the  copper.  When  the  whole  boils^ 
the  wool  is  put  in,  well  stirred,  and  left  to  boil  for 


131 


two  hours  ; it  is  afterwards  taken  out,  slightly 
wrung,  put  into  a bag,  and  k-ft  thus  with  its  water, 
as  for  the  scarlet  in  giain,  and  for  all  other  colours. 

For  the  die  a fresh  liquor  is  made,  in  which 
three  fourths  of  an  oiuice  of  cochineal  is  added  for 
each  ptnind  of  wool.  When  the  liquor  is  little 
more  than  luke-warm,  the  cochineal  is  put  in,  and 
when  it  begins  to  boil,  the  wool  is  cast  in*  which 
is  to  be  well  stirred  with  sticks ; it  is  to  remain 
thus  for  an  hour  ; when  taken  out,  wrung  and 
washed. 

If  degrees  of  shades  are  required,  (whose  names 
are  merely  arbitral y)  proceed,  as  has  been  already 
related  for  the  scarier,  using  but  half  the  cochineal 
at  first,  and  beginning  with  the  lightest. 

The  beauty  of  crimson  consists  in  its  border- 
ing as  much  as  possible  on  the  grisdelin,  a colour 
between  a grey  and  a violet.  I made  several  tri- 
als to  bring  crimson  to  a higher  perfection  than 
most  diers  have  hitherto  done,  and  indeed  I suc- 
ceeded so  as  to  make  it  as  fine  as  the  false  crimson, 
which  is  always  brighter  than  the  fine. 

This  is  the  principle  on  which  I worked.  As 
all  alkalis  sadden  cochineal,  I tried  soap,  barrilla, 
pot-ash,  pearl-ashes  ; all  these  salts  brought  the 
crimson  to  the  shade  I wanted,  but  at  the  same 
time,  they  tarnished  and  diminished  its  brightness, 
I then  bethought  myself  to  make  use  of  volatile 
alkalis,  and  I found  that  the  volatile  spirit  of  salt 
ammoniac  produced  a very  good  effect  ; but  this 
spirit  instantly  evaporated  and  a pretty  considera- 
ble quantity  was  used  in  the  liquor,  which  greau 
ly  augmented  the  price  of  the  die. 

I then  had  recourse  to  another  expedient  which 
SHCceeded  better,  the  expense  ©f  which  is  trifling. 


132 


This  was  to  make  the  volatile  alkali  of  the  salt 
ammoniac  enter  into  the  liquor,  at  the  very  instant 
that  it  eomes  out  of  its  basis  ; and  to  effect  this, 
after  my  crimson  was  made  after  the  usual  man- 
ner, I passed  through  a fresh  liquor,  in  which  I 
had  dissolved  a little  of  the  salt  ammoniac.  As 
soon  as  the  liquor  was  a little  more  than  luke- 
warm,  I flung  in  as  much  pot  ash  as  I had  before 
of  salt  ammoniac,  and  my  wool  immediately  took 
a very  brilliant  colour. 

This  method  even  spares  the  cochineal  ; for 
this  new  liquor  makes  it  rise,  and  then  less  may 
be  used  than  in  the  common  process  ; but  the 
greatest  part  of  diers,  even  the  most  eminent,  sad- 
den their  crimsons  with  archil,  a drug  of  the  false 
die. 

Very  beautiful  crimsons  are  also  made  by  boil- 
ing the  wmol  as  for  the  common  scarlet,  and  then 
boiling  it  in  a second  liquor,  wdth  two  ounces  of 
alum  and  once  ounce  of  tartar,  for  each  pound  of 
wool,  leaving  it  one  hour  in  the  liquor.  A fresh 
liquor  is  then  prepared,  in  which  six  drachms  of 
cochineal  is  put  for  every  pound  of  wool.  After 
it  has  remained  an  hour  in  this  liquor,  it  is  taken 
out,  and  passed  immediately  thiongh  a liquor  of 
barilla  and  salt  ammoniac.  By  this  method 
gradations  of  very  beautiful  crimson  shades  are 
made  by  diminishing  the  quantity  of  the  cochineal. 
It  is  to  be  observed,  that  in  this  process  there  are 
but  six  drachms  of  cochineal  to  die  each  pound  of 
wool, because  inthc  first  liquor  a drachm  and  a half 
of  cochineal  is  used  for  each  pound.  It  is  also 
necessary  to  remark,  that,  to  sadden  the  se  t rim- 
sons,  the  liquor  of  the  alkaline  salt  and  salt  am- 
moniac be  not  made  too  hot,  because  the  separa- 


tioft  of  the  volatile  spirit  of  this  last  salt  would  be 
too  quick,  and  the  crystal  of  tartar  of  the  first  li- 
quor would  lose  its  proper  effect  by  being  chang- 
ed, as  I have  already  said  into  a soluble  tartar. 

The  same  operation  may  be  done  by  using  one 
part  of  the  cochineal  sylvtstre  instead  of  the  fine 
cochineal,  and  the  colour  is  not  less  beautiful,  for 
commonly  four  parts  of  sylvestre  have  not  more 
effect  in  dyeing  than  one  part  of  fine  cochineal. 
The  sylvestre  may  also  be  used  in  dying  scarlet, 
but  with  great  precaution  ; it  should  only  be  used 
in  bastard  scarlets  and  half  crimsons.  I shall  speak 
of  this  when  I treat  of  these  colours  in  partic- 
ular. 

When  a scarlet  is  spotted  or  spoiled  in  the  op- 
eration by  some  unforeseen  accident,  or  even 
when  the  die  has  failed,  the  common  remedy  is  to 
make  it  a crimson,  and  for  that  purpose,  it  is  dipt 
in  a liquor  where  about  two  pounds  of  alum  are 
added  for  each  hundred  weight  of  wool.  It  is  im- 
mediately plunged  in  this  liquor,  and  left  there 
until  it  has  acquired  the  shade  of  the  crimson  de- 
sired. 


Languedoc  Crimson* 

I shall  notv  shew  the  method  they  follow  in 
Languedoc  to  make  a very  Ix^autiful  sort  of  crim- 
son, or  the  cloths  exported  to  the  Levant,  but 
which  is  not  so  much  saddened  as  that  which  I 
have  just  spoken  ©f,  and  which  resembles  much 
more  the  Venetian  scarlet.  For  five  pieces  of 
cloth  the  liquor  is  prepared  as  usual,  puuing  bran 
ifnecessary.  When  it  is  more  than  lukewarm, 
ten  pounds  of  sea. salt  are  put,  instead  of  ervstai 

M 


134 


of  tartar,  and  when  it  is  ready  to  boil,  twenty- sev- 

pounds  of  the  scarlet  composition,  made  after 
the  manner  of  carcassine  already  described,  are 
poured  in,  and  without  adding  cochineal  the  cloth 
is  passed  through  this  liquor  for  two  hours,  keep- 
ing it  always  turning  with  the  wynch,  and  contin- 
ually boiling.  It  is  afterwards  taken  out,  aired 
and  washed  ; then  a fresh  liquor  is  made,  with 
eight  pounds  and  three  quarters  v4cochineal  pow- 
dered and  sifted,  and  when  it  is  ready  to  boil,  twen- 
ty one  pounds  of  composition  are  added  ; the 
cloth  is  boiled  for  three  quarters  of  an  hour  wnth 
the  common  precautions,  after  v/hich  it  is  taken 
out,  aired  and  washed  ; it  is  of  a very  fine  crim- 
son, but  very  little  saddened  ; if  it  is  required  to 
be  more  saddened,  a greater  quantity  of  alum  is 
put  into  the  first  liquor  of  preparation,  and  in 
the  second  less  of  the  composition,  the  sea  salt  is 
also  added  to  this  second  liquor  ; a little  practice 
in  this  method  will  soon  teach  the  dier  to  make  all 
the  shades  that  can  properly  be  derived  from  crim- 
son. 

Whenever  cochineal  has  been  used,  there  is 
found  at  the  bottom  of  the  reddening  liquor  a 
quantity  of  very  brown  sediment,  which  is  flung 
away  with  the  liquor  as  useless.  I examined  it 
and  found,  that  the  liquor  for  the  reddening  of 
scarlet  contained  a precipitated  calx  of  tin  : I uni- 
ted this  metal  with  a great  deal  of  trouble  ; the  re- 
maining parts  of  this  sediment  are  the  dross  of 
the  white  tartar,  or  of  the  cream  of  tartar,  united 
with  the  gross  parts  of' the  bodies  of  the  cochineal, 
which  is,  as  has  already  been  said,  a small  insect, 
I washed  these  little  animal  parts  in  cold  water, 
and,  by  shaking  this  w’ater,  I collected  with  a 


13*5 


small  sieve,  what  the  agitation  caused  to  rise  on 
the  surface. 

After  this  manner  I separated  these  light  parts 
from  the  earthy  and  metallic  ; I dried  them  sepa- 
rately, then  levigated  them  with  equal  weight  of 
fresh  crystal  of  tartar  ; I boiled  a portibn  with  a 
little  alum,  and  put  in  a pattern  of  white  cloth, 
which  boiled  for  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  at  the 
end  of  which  it  was  died  of  a very  beautiful  crim- 
son. 

This  experiment  having  convinced  me,  that  by 
powdering  and  sifting  the  cochineal  as  is  common- 
ly practised,  all  the  profit  that  might  be  extracted 
from  this  dear  drug  is  not  obtained,  I thought 
proper  to  communicate  this  discovery  to  the  diers, 
that  they  might  avail  themselves  of  it  by  the  meth- 
od following. 

Take  one  ounce  of  cochineal  powdered  and  sift- 
ed as  usual  ; mix  with  it  a quarter  of  its  weight 
of  very  white  cream  of  tartar  very  crystalline  and 
very  airy;  put  the  whole  on  a hard  levigating  stone 
and  levigate  this  mixture  till  it  is  reduced  to  an 
impalpable  powder  ; make  use  of  this  cochineal 
thus  prepared  in  the  liquor  and  in  the  reddening, 
subtracting  from  the  cream  of  tartar,  which  is  to 
be  used  in  the  liquor,  the  small  quantity  before 
used  With  the  cochineal.  What  is  put  to  the  red- 
dening, although  mixed  with  a fourth  of  the  same 
salt,  does  not  piejudice  its  colour,  it  even  appear- 
ed to  me  that  it  was  more  solid.  Those  that 
will  follow  this  method  will  find  that  there  is  abofet 
a fourth  more  profit  to  be  obtained  by  it. 


136 


The  natural  Crimsoir  hi  grain. 

In  proportion  for  every  pound  of  cloth  or  other 
things,  take  two  ounces  of  tartar  pure,  and  two 
ounces  of  alum  ; boil  them  with  the  goods  an 
hour  and  a half ; then  rince  the  goods  very  well 
from  the  boiling.  The  kettle  must  be  filled  again 
with  clear  water  and  a fevv  handfuls  of  bran  put  in, 
in  order  to  take  out  the  filth  of  the  water,  as  well 
as  to  soften  it.  Scum  the  scurf  off  when  it  begins 
to  boil,  and  put  in  an  ounce  of  well  powdered 
grain,  with  one  dram  of  red  arsenic  and  one 
spoonful  of  burnt  wine  lees  ; this  gives  a pretty 
lustre  ; then  wash  and  rince  it  well,  and  you  have 
a most  beautiful  colour. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


SCARLET  OF  GUM-LACqUE. 

THE  red  part  of  the  gum-lacque  may  be  also 
used  for  the  dicing  t>f  scarlet,  and  if  this  scarlet 
has  not  all  the  brightness  of  that  made  of  fine  co- 
chineal alone,  it  has  the  advantage  of  being  more 

lasting. 

The  gum  Jacque,  which  is  in  branches  or  small 
sticks  and  full  of  animal  parts,  is  the  fittest  for  dic- 
ing. It  must  be  red  v\  ithin,  and  its  external  parts, 
of  a blackish  brown  ; it  appears  by  a particular 
examination  made  of  it  by  M.  Geoffroy  some 
years  since,  that  it  is  a sort  of  hive,  somewhat  like 
that  of  bees,  wasps,  &c. 

Some  diers  make  use  of  it  powdered  and  tied 


157 


in  a linen  bag;  but  this  is  a bad  method,  for  there 
alw^ivs  passes  through  the  doth  some  resinous 
portion  ot  the  gum,  which  melts  in  the  boiling 
water  of  the  cop[)er,  and  sticks  to  tlie  cloth, where 
it  becomes  so  adherent  svhen  cold,  that  it  must  be 
scraped  off  with  a knife. 

Others  re'Uict  it  to  powder,  boil  it  in  water,  and 
after  it  has  given  ail  its  colour,  let  it  cool,  and  the 
rc::.irK)us  parts  fall  to  the  bottom.  The  water  -is 
poured  out,  and  evaporated  by  the  air,  where  it 
often  becomes  stinking,  and  when  it  has  acquir- 
ed the  consistence  of  thick  honey,  it  is  put  up 
into  vessels  for  use.  Under  this  form  it  is  pret- 
t}  difficult  justly  to  determine  the  quantity  that  is 
used  ; this  induced  me  to  seek  the  means  of 
obtaining  this  tincture  separated  from  its  resinous 
gum,  without  being  obliged  to  evaporate  so  great 
a quantity  of  water  to  have  it  dry,  and  to  reduce  it 
to  powder. 

1 tried  it  with  weak  lime  water,  with  a de- 
coction of  the  heart  of  agaric,  with  a decoc- 
tion of  comfre}  root,  recommended  in  an  ancient 
book  of  physic  ; in  all  these  the  water  leaves  a 
pirt  of  the  die,  and  it  still  passes  too  full  of  colour, 
and  it  ought  to  be  evaporated  to  get  all  the  dve  ; 
this  evaporation  I wanted  to  avoid,  therefore  I 
tnade  use  of  mucilaginous  or  slimy  roots,  which 
of  themselves  gave  no  colour,  but  whose  mucilage 
might  retain  the  colouring  parts,  so  that  the^^ 
might  remain  with  it  on  the  filter. 

The  great  comfrey  root  has  as  yet  the  best  an- 
swered my  intention  ; I use  it  dry  and  in  a gross 
powder,  pulling  half  a dram  to  each  quart  of  wa- 
ter, which  is  boiled  a quarter  of  an  h ur,  passing 
it  through  a hair  sieve.  1 1 immediately  extract's. 

M 2 


from  it  a beautiful  crimson  tincture ; put  the  ves- 
sel to  digest  in  a moderate  heat  for  twelve  hours 
shaking  it  seven  or  eight  times  to  mix  it  wdth  the 
gum  that  remains  at  the  bottom,  then  pour  off 
the  water  that  is  loaded  with  colour  in  a vessel 
sufficiently  large,  that  three-fourths  may  remain 
empty  and  fill  it  wdth  cold  water  ; then  pour  a 
very  small  quantity  of  strong  solution  of  Roman 
alum  on  the  tincture  ; the  mucilaginous  or  slimy 
die  precipitates  itself,  and  if  the  water  w'hich  ap« 
pears  on  the  top  appears  still  coloured,  add  some 
drops  of  the  solution  of  alum  to  finish  the  precipi- 
tation, and  this  repeat  till  the  w^ater  becomes  as 
clear  as  common  water. 

When  the  crimson  mucilage  or  slime  is  all  sunk 
to  th^  bottom  of  the  vessel,  draw  off  the  clear  wha- 
ler, and  filter  the  remainder ; after  w’hich,  dry  it 
in  the  sun. 

If  the  first  mucilaginous  water  has  not  extract- 
ed all  the  colour  of  the  gum  lacque,  (which  is 
known  by  the  remaining  being  of  a weak  straw 
colour)  repeat  the  operation  until  you  separate  all 
the  die  the  gum-lacque  can  furnish  ; and  as  it  is 
reduced  to  powder  when  dry,  the  quantity  to  be 
used  in  the  die  is  more  exactly  ascertained  than 
by  evaporating  it  to  the  consistence  of  an  extract. 

Good  gum-lacque,  picked  from  its  sticks, yields, 
dried  and  powdered,  but  little  more  die  than  one- 
fifth  of  its  weight.  Thus  at  the  price  it  bears  at 
present,  ther€  is  not  so  great  an  advantage  as  many 
may  imagine  in  using  it  in  the  place  of  cochineal ; 
but  to  make  the  scarlet  colour  more  lasting  than 
it  commonly  is,  it  may  be  used  in  the  first  liquor 
or  preparation,  and  cochineal  for  reddening. 

If  scarlet  is  made  of  gum-lacque,  extracted 


139 


cording  to  the  method  here  taught,  and  reduced 
to  powder,  a caution  is  to  be  taken  in  dissolving  it, 
which  is  useless  when  cochineal  is  used  ; that  is, 
if  it  was  put  into  the  liquor  ready  to  boil,  the  dier 
would  lose  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  before  it 
would  be  dissolved  entirely  j therefore  for  despatch, 
put  the  dose  of  this  dry  tincture  into  a large  earthen 
vessel,  or  into  one  of  tin,  pour  warm  water  on  it, 
and  when  it  is  well  moistened,  add  the  necessary 
dose  of  the  composition  for  scarlet,  stirring  the 
mixture  w^ell  with  a glass  pestle.  This  powder, 
which  was  of  a dirty  deep  purple,  as  it  dissolves 
takes  fire- coloured  red  extremely  bright  ; pour 
the  dissolution  into  the  liquor,  in  which  was  pre- 
viously put  the  crystal  of  tartar,  and  as  soon  as  this 
liquor  begins  to  boil,  dip  the  cloth  in,  keeping  it 
continually  turning.  The  remaining  part  of  the 
operation  is  the  same  as  that  of  scarlet  with  cochi- 
neal : the  extract  of  gum-lacquc,  prepared  accord- 
ing to  my  method,  yields  about  one  ninth  more 
of  die  than  cochineal,  at  least  than  that  which  I 
made  use  of  for  this  comparison. 

Ifinstead  of  the  crystal  of  tartar  and  the  com- 
position of  some  fixed  alkaline  salt  or  lime  water 
is  substituted,  the  bright  red  of  the  gum  lacque 
is  changed  into  the  colour  of  lees  of  wine,  so 
that  this  die  does  not  sadden  so  easily  as  that  of 
eoehineal. 

If  instead  of  these  alteratives,  salt  ammoniac  is 
used  by  itself  cinnamon  or  clear  chescut  colours 
are  obtained,  and  that  according  as  there  is  more 
or  less  of  this  salt.  I have  made  twenty  other  ex- 
periments on  this  drug,  which  I shall  not  relate 
here,  because  they  produced  none  but  common 
colours,  and  which  may  be  easier  had  from  ingre- 


140 


dients  of  a lower  price.  My  experiments  were  I 
with  a view  of  improving  the  red  of  the  lucque,  : 
and  the  method  1 have  here  laid  down  to  extract 
its  colouring  parts  answers  extremely  well  ; the 
more  ingredients  that  are  discovered  for  scarlet, 
the  less  will  be  the  cost  ; for,  although  these  ex- 
periments made  on  cochineal,  lacque,  and  other 
drugs,  may  appear  useless  to  some  diers,  they 
will  not  be  so  to  others  who  study  to  intprove  this  ; 
art.^ 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


©F  THE  coccus  POLOXICUS,  A COLOURING  IN- 
SECT. 

THE  coccus  polon'icus  is  a little  round  iiisect, 
somewhat  less  than  a coriander  seed  ; it  is  found 
sticking  to  the  roots  of  \\'\^ poly^oimm  coccifcruin 
incanam  flore  majore  perenni  of  Rav,  and  which 
M.  T oLirnefort  has  named  alchymilli  gr amine o fo^ 
Us  majore fiore.  According  to  M.  Breyn,  it  a- 

bounds  in  the  palatinate  of  Kiovia,  bordering  the 
Ukrania,  towards  the  towns  of  Ludnow,  Piatka, 
Stobdyzeze,  and  other  sandy  places  of  Ukrania 
and  Bodolia,  of  Volhinia,  of  the  grand  duchy  of 
Lithuania,  and  even  in  Prussia,  towards  Thorn. 

Those  that  gather  them  say,  that  immediately 
after  the  summer  solstice  the  coccus  is  ripe,  and 
full  of  its  purple  juice.  They  hold  in  their  hand 

* The  colouring  parts  of  the  Mm-lacque  may  be  extracted  by  common 
river  water,  by  making  it  a litue  more  thaa  lukeTfarm,  jjacloeiug  tite 

powdered  lacque  in  a coarse  woollen  bag« 


141 


a small  hollow  shade,  made  in  the  shape  of  a shep- 
herd’s crook  which  has  a small  handle.  With 
one  hand  they  hold  the  plant,  raising  it  out  of  the 
ground  wdth  the  other,  armed  with  this  instru- 
ment ; they  then  shake  off  these  little  insects,  and 
place  the  plant  in  the  same  hole  in  order  to  pre- 
serve it. 

Having  separated  the  coccus  from  the  earth, 
which  they  do  by  a riddle  made  for  that  purpose, 
their  chief  care  is,  that  it  should  not  change  into 
a small  worm  ; for  this  purpose  they  sprinkle  it 
with  vinegar,  and  sometimes  with  very  cold  wa- 
ter ; they  then  bring  them  to  a warm  place, 
or  else  expose  them  to  the  sun  to  dry  ; without 
this,  these  insects  would  destroy  themselves,  and 
if  they  were  dried  too  precipitately,  they  would 
lose  their  beautiful  colour.  Sometimes  they  sep- 
arate these  small  insects  from  their  vesicles  or 
bladders  with  the  ends  of  their  fingers  by  a gentle 
pressure,  which  they  form  into  small  round  cakes. 
The  diers  pay  dearer  for  this  die  when  in  lump 
than  when  it  is  in  grain. 

Bernard  de  Bernitz,  from  whose  book  I have 
taken  this,  adds,  that  the  great  marechal  Konits- 
poliki,  and  some  other  Polish  noblemen,  w ho  had 
lands  in  the  Ukrania,  set  this  gathering  of  the  coc- 
cus to  the  Jews  at  a considerable  profit,  and  caused 
it  to  be  gathered  by  their  vassals  ; that  the  Turks 
and  Arminians,  who  bought  this  drug  of  the 
Jews,  used  it  for  the  dicing  of  wool,  silk,  the 
manes  and  tales  of  their  horses  ; that  the  Turk- 
ish w^omen  made  use  of  it  to  paint  their  fingers’ 
ends  of  a beautiful  carnation  colour  ; and  that 
formerly  the  Dutch  used  to  buy  the  coccus  at  a 
high  price,  and  ^lixed  it  with  an  equal  quantity 


142 


of  cochineal ; that  with  the  die  of  this  insect  and 
chalk,  a iacque  for  the  painters  might  be  made  as 
fine  as  the  Florence  Iacque  ; and  that  a beautiful 
red  was  prepared  from  it  lor  the  toilet  of  the  ladies 
in  France  and  Spain. 

CHAPTER  XIV, 


CJ  THE  RED  OP  MADDER, 

THE  root  of  madder  is  the  only  part  of  this 
plant  which  is  used  in  dicing.  Of  all  the  reds 
this  is  the  most  lasting,  when  it  is  put  on  a cloth 
or  stuff  that  is  thoroughly  scoured  then  prepared 
with  the  salts  with  which  it  is  to  be  boiled  two  or 
three  hours,  without  which,  this  red,  so  tenacious 
after  the  preparation  of  the  subject,  would  scarce- 
ly resist  more  the  proofs  of  the  reds  than  any  other 
ingredients  of  the  false  die.  This  is  a proof  that 
the  pores  of  the  fibres  of  the  wool  ought  not  only 
to  be  well  scoured  from  the  yolk  or  unctuous 
transpiration  of  the  animal,  which  may  have  re- 
mained, notwithstanding  the  scouring  of  the  wool 
after  the  common  manner  with  water  and  urine  ; 
but  it  is  also  necessary,  that  these  same  pores  be 
plaistered  inwardly  with  some  of  those  salts  which 
are  called  hard,  bec.mse  they  do  not  calcine  in  the 
air,  and  cannot  be  dissolved  by  rain  water,  or  by 
the  moisture  of  the  air  in  rainy  weather.  Such  is 
as  has  been  said  before,  the  white  crude  tartar,  the 
red  and  the  crystal  of  tartar,  of  which,  according 
to  common  custom,  about  a fourth  is  put  into  the 
preparing  liquor,  with  two-thirds  or  three- four ilis 
of  alum. 


145 


The  best  madder  roots  come  generally  from 
Zealand,  where  this  plant  is  cultivated  in  the  islands 
of  Tergoes,  Zerzee,  Sommerd}  ke,  and  Thoolen. 
That  from  the  first  of  these  islands  is  esteemed 
the  best  ; the  soil  is  clay,  fat,  and  somewhat  salt. 
The  lands  that  are  deemed  the  best  for  the  cultiva- 
tion of  this  plant  are  new  lands,  that  only  served 
for  pasture,  which  are  always  fresher  and  moister 
than  others.  The  Zealanders  are  beholden  to  the 
refugees  of  Flanders  for  the  cultivation  and  great 
commerce  of  this  root. 

It  is  known  in  trade  and  dicing  under  the  names 
of  grape  madder,  bunch  madder,  &c.  It  is  how- 
ever the  same  root  ; all  the  difference  in  regard  to 
its  quality  is,  that  the  one  kind  contains  pith  and 
root,  and  the  other  has  the  small  fibres  from  its 
principal  root  adhering  to  it. 

Both  are  prepared  by  the  same  work,  which  I 
shall  nor.  relate  the  particulars  of  here,  as  it  would 
only  serve  to  lengthen  this  treatise  to  no  purpose. 

They  choose  the  finest  roots  for  the  first  sort, 
drying  them  with  care,  grinding  them  and  separa- 
ting the  rind  at  the  mill,  and  preserving  the  middle 
of  the  root  ground  in  hogsheads,  where  it  remains 
for  two  or  three  years  ; for  after  this  time,  it  is 
better  for  dicing  than  it  would  have  been  coming 
from  the  mill  ; for  if  madder  was  not  kept  close 
after  this  manner,  the  aii  would  spoil  it,  and  the 
colour  would  be  less  bright.  It  is  at  first  yellow 
but  It  reddens  and  grows  brown  by  age  ; the  best 
is  of  a sf  fPron  colour,  in  hard  lumps,  of  a strong 
smell,  and  yet  not  disagreeable.  It  is  also  cultivat- 
ed a boud_.  isle  in  Flanders, and  several  other  places 
of  the  ki hgdoai,  where  it  was  found  to  grow 
spoBtaneousiy, 


lU 


The  madders  which  are  made  use  of  in  the  Le- 
vant and  in  India,  for  the  dicing  of  cottons,  arc 
somewhat  different  from  the  kinds  used  in  Eu- 
rope, it  is  named  chat  on  the  coast  of  Coromandel. 
This  plant  thus  called,  grows  abundantly  in  the 
woods  on  the  coast  of  Malabar,  and  this  chat  is  the 
wild  sort.  The  cultivated  comes  from  Vasur  and 
Tuccorin,  and  the  most  esteemed  of  all  is  the  chat 
of  Persia,  named  (lianas. 


They  also  gather  on  the  coast  of  Coromandel| 
the  root  of  another  plant  called  ray  de  chaye^  of? 
root  of  colour,  and  which  was  thought  to  be  a kind 
cAruhia  tinctorum,  but  is  the  root  of  a kind  of 
gtilliiim  jlore  albo»  as  it  appeared  by  observations 
sent  from  India  in  1748.  It  has  a long  slender 
root,  which  dies  cotton  of  a tolerably  handsome 
red,  when  it  has  received  all  the  preparations  pre- 
vious to  the  die. 

At  Kinder,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Smyrna, 
and  in  the  countries  of /\kissar  and  of  Yordas,they 
cu  tivate  another  kind  of  madder,  which  is  called 
in  the  countrv  chioc  boy  a ekme  hazala.  This  of 
all  the  madders  is  the  best  for  the  red  die,  by  the 
proofs  that  have  been  made  of  it,  and  far  more  es- 
teemed in  the  l.evant  than  the  finest  Zealand  mad- 
der the  Dutch  bring  there.  This  madder  so  much 
valued  is  called  bv  the  modern  Greeks  lizari^  and 
by  the  Arabs  foiioy  ^ 

"^rhere  is  another  kind  of  madder  in  Canada  cal- 
led tyssa  voyana.  It  is  a very  small  root,  which 
produces  pretty  wear  the  same  effect  as  our  Euro- 
pean madder. 

* These  kinds  of  madders  give  brighter  reds  tlian  the  bc>-t  grape  madder  of 
Zealand,  for  they  are  dried  in  the  air  and  not  in  a stove,  The  madder  of  Lan- 
guedoc, even  that  of  Poitou  eucceeds  a€  weH  as  that  of  when  it  is  dried 


145 


The  water  of  preparation  for  madder  red  is  pret- 
ty near  the  same  as  for  kermes,  that  is  composed 
of  alum  and  tartar.  The  diers  do  not  agree  as 
to  the  proportions  ; but  the  best  appears  to  be  four 
ounces  of  alum  and  one  of  red  tartar  to  each  pound 
of  spun  wool,  and  about  one  twelfth  part  of  sour 
water,  and  let  the  wool  boil  in  it  for  two  hours. 
If  it  is  spun  wool,  leave  it  for  seven  or  eight  days, 
that  it  may  be  well  moistened  by  the  dissolution 
of  these  salts  ; and  if  it  is  cloth,  finish  it  the  fourth 
day. 

To  die  wool  with  madder,  prepare  a fresh  li- 
quor, and  when  the  wetter  is  come  to  a heat  to  bear 
the  hand,  put  in  half  a pound  of  the  finest  grape 
madder  for  each  pound  of  wool  ; let  it  be  W’ell 
raked  and  mixed  in  the  copper  before  the  wool 
goes  in,  keep  the  wool  in  an  hour,  during  which 
time  it  must  not  boil.^  Shades  from  madder  are 
obtained  after  the  manner  laid  down  for  other  col- 
ours, but  these  shades  are  little  used,  except  in  a 
mixture  of  several  colours. 

When  several  pieces  of  cloth  are  to  be  died  at 
once  in  madder  red,  the  operation  is  the  same,  on- 
ly augmenting  the  ingredients  in  proportion  ; and 
let  it  be  remarked  that  in  small  operations  the 
quantity  of  ingredients  must  be  somewhat  greater 
than  in  great,  not  only  in  madder  red,  but  in  ail 
other  colours. 

These  reds  are  never  so  beautiful  as  thb'se'  W 
the  kermes,  and  much  less  so  than  those  of  the 
lacque  or  cochineal,  but  they  cost  less,  and  are 
made  use  of  for  common  stuff's  whose  low  prices 
would  not  dearer  die.  Most  of  the  reds 

^ IfniadderisboiJed,  its  red  becomes  obscure,  and  of  a brick  colr^- 

N 


146 


for  the  army  are  of  madder,  saddened  with  archil 
or  brazil,  (though  these  drugs  be  of  the  safe  die) 
to  make  them  finer,  and  more  on  the  velvet,  which 
perfection  could  not  be  procured  to  them  even 
with  cochineal,  without  considerably  augmenting 
the  price. 

I have  already  said  that  madder  put  on  stuffs  not 
being  prepared  to  receive  it  by  the  alum  and  tar- 
tar- water,  did  in  fact  give  its  red  colour,  but  that 
which  it  died  was  blotted  and  not  lasting,  it  is 
therefore  the  salts  that  secure  the  die  ; this  is  com- 
mon to  all  other  colours  red  or  yellow,  which 
cannot  be  made  without  a preparing  liquor.  Now 
the  question  is,  whether  these  act  by  taking  off  the 
remains  of  the  oily  and  fat  transpiration  of  the 
sheep,  or  whether  that  of  the  two  salts,  particular- 
ly that  which  even  cannot  be  carried  by  luke-  warm 
water,  remains  to  catch,  seize  and  cement  the  col- 
ouring atom,  opened  or  dilated  by  the  heat  of  wa- 
ter to  receive  it,  and  contracted  by  the  cold  to  re- 
tain it. 

To  determine  which,  use  any  alkaline  salts,  such 
as  pot- ash,  the  clarified  lays  of  oak-ashes,  or  any 
other  pure  lixivial  salt  instead  of  alum  and  tartar, 
put  in  a due  proportion  so  as  not  to  dissolve  the 
wool,  and  afterwards  dip  the  stuff  in  madder  li- 
quor. This  stuff  will  come  out  coloured,  but 
will  not  last,  even  boiling  water  will  carry  off 
three  fourths  of  the  colour.  Now  it  cannot  be 
said  that  a fixed  alkaline  salt  is  unfit  to  extract 
from  the  pores  of  the  wool  the  yolk  or  fat  of  the 
sheep,  since  lixivial  salts  are  used  with  success 
in  several  cases,  to  take  the  greasQ,^ut  of  stuffs  of 
what  kind  soever  they  be,  whilP  water  alone 
could  not  take  off.  It  is  also  well  known*  that 


147 


with  fats  foreign  to  the  stuff,  and  an  alkaline  salt, 
a kind  of  soap  is  formed  which  water  easily  car- 
ries off. 

Again,  take  a piece  of  stuff  died  in  madder  red, 
according  to  the  usual  method,  boil  it  some  time 
in  a solution  of  fixed  alkaline  salts,  a small  quanti- 
ty will  also  destroy  the  colour,  for  the  fixed  alkali, 
attacking  the  small  atoms  of  the  crystal  of  tartar, 
or  crude  tartar,  which  lines  the  pores  of  the  wool, 
forms  a soluble  tartar,  which  w^ater  dissolves  very 
easily,  and  consequently  the  pores  being  opened 
in  the  hot  water  of  the  experiment,  the  colouring 
atom  came  out  with  the  saline  atom  that  sheath- 
ed it. 

This  stuff  being  washed  in  w^ater,  the  remaining 
red  colour  is  diluted,  and  a colour  half  brown  and 
half  dirty  remains.  If,  instead  of  an  alkaline  salt, 
soap  is  substituted,  (which  is  an  alkaline  salt,  mit« 
igated  by  oil)  and  another  piece  of  cloth  died  also 
in  madder,  be  boiled  for  a few  minutes,  the  red 
will  become  finer,  because  the  alkali  which  is  in 
the  soap  being  sheathed  with  oil,  it  could  not  at- 
tack the  vegetable  acid,  and  the  boiling  only  car., 
ried  off  the  colouring  parts  ill  stuck  together,  and 
their  numbers  diminishing,  what  remains  must  ap- 
pear deeper  or  clearer. 

1 must  also  add,  for  further  proof  of  the  actual 
existence  of  salts  in  the  pores  of  a stuff  prepared 
with  alum  and  tartar,  before  dicing  it  with  mad- 
der, that  more  or  less  tartar  gives  an  infinite  vari- 
ety -of  shades  with  this  root  only  ; for  if  the  quan- 
tity of  alum  be  diminished,  and  that  of  the  tartar 
augmented,  a cinnamon  will  be  had,  and  even  if 
nothing  but  tartar  alone  be  put  into  the  liquo;*^ 
the  red  is  lost,  and  a deep  cinnamon  or  brown 


148 


root  colour  is  obtained,  though  of  a very  good 
die ; for  the  crude  tartar,  which  is  an  acid  salt,  has 
so  much  dissolved  the  part  which  should  have 
produced  the  red  colour,  that  there  only  remain- 
ed a very  small  ([uanlity,  with  the  ligneous  fibres 
of  the  root,  which,  like  all  other  common  roots, 
does  then  yield  but  a brown  colour,  more  or  less 
deep  according  to  the  quantity  used.  I have  al- 
ready proved  that  the  acid  wdiich  brightens  tlie 
red,  dissolves  them  if  too  much  is  used,  and  di- 
vides them  into  particles  so  extremely  minute, 
that  they  aie  not  perceptible. 

If  in  the  place  of  tartar,  any  salt  which  is  easily 
dissolved  be  put  with  the  alum  in  the  liquor,  to 
prepare  the  stuff  for  the  madder  die,  such  as  salt- 
petre, the  greater  part  of  the  madder  red  becomes 
useless,  it  disappears,  or  does  not  slick  on,  and 
nothing  is  got  but  a very  bright  cinnamon,  which 
“Will  not  sufficiently  stand  the  proof,  because  the 
two  salts  used  in  the  preparing  liquor  are  not  of  the 
hardness  of  the  tartar. 

Volatile  urin(jus  alkalis  which  are  obtained  from 
certain  plants,  such  as  the  perilla,  the  archil  of  the 
Canaries,  and  other  mosses  or  lichens,  destroy  al- 
so the  madder  red,  but  at  the  same  time  communi- 
cate another  to  it,  for  on  experiment,  madder  pre- 
pared after  the  manner  of  archil  with  fermented 
urine  and  quick  lime,  produced  only  nut-colours, 
but  wdiicli  nevertheless  are  lasting  ; because  there 
cnleredjnto  the  liquor  only  the  little  portion  of  u- 
rinous  volatile  that  moistened  the  madder  which 
the  boiling  was  sufficient  to  evaporate,  and  be- 
sides, the  cloth  was  sufficiently  furnished  with  the 
salts  of  the  liquor  made  as  usual,  to  retain  the 
colouring  parts  of  the  die. 


149 


When  a pure  red,  that  for  cochineal  an  exam- 
ple, is  laid  upon  a cloth  first  died  in  blue,  and  af- 
terwards prepared  with  the  liquor  of  tartar,  and 
alum  to  receive  and  retain  this  red,  a purple  or  vi- 
oleT  is  produced  according  to  the  quantity  of  blue 
or  red.  The  red  of  madder  has  not  this  effect,  for 
it  is  not  a pure  red  like  that  of  the  cochineal,  and 
as  I said  above,  it  is  altered  by  the  brow  n ligneous 
fibres  of  its  root,  and  makes  on  the  blue  a chesnut 
colour,  more  or  less  deep  according  to  the  prece- 
ding intensity  of  the  blue  first  laid  on.  If  this 
chesnut  colour  is  w^antcd  to  have  a purple  cast,  a 
little  cochineal  must  be  added. 

In  order  to  avoid  this  brown  of  the  root,  the 
diers  w^ho  make  the  best  reds  of  madder  take  great 
heed  to  use  the  liquor  of  madder  a little  more 
than  lukewarm  ; the  madder  tarnishes  consider- 
ably by  the  heat  of  the  water,  extracting  the  partL 
cles  which  die  brown,  and  unite  themselves  vvith 
the  red. 

This  inconveniency  might  be  remedied,  if  at 
the  time  that  the  madder  root  is  fresh  a means 
could  be  found  to  separate  from  the  rest  of  this 
root  the  red  circle  whit^h  is  underneath  its  brown 
pelicle,  and  which  surrounds  the  middle  pith  ; but 
this  work  would  augment  its  price,  and  even  then 
it  would  not  afford  so  good  a red  as  cochineal. 
However,  it  might  be  attempted  to  die  cottons 
red,  whose  price  m g it  bear  the  expenses  of  this 
prepaiation. 

Madder  being  of  ail  ingredients  the  cheapest  of 
any  that  die  red  and  of  the  good  die,  it  is  mixt 
with  others  to  diminish  the  price.  It  is  with 
madder  and  kermes  that  the  bastard  scarlets  of 
grain  are  died,  otherwise  called  half  grain  scar- 


150 


Jets,  and  with  madder  and  cochineal  the  half- 
common 'scarlets,  and  the  half-crimsons  are  made. 

To  make  the  half  grain  scarlet,  the  water  of 
preparation,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  operation  is  to 
be  performed  after  the  same  manner  as  scarlet 
made  of  the  grain  of  kermes,  or  the  common  Ve- 
netian, only  the  second  liquor  is  composed  of  half 
kermes  and  half  grape  madder. 

For  the  half-scarlet  and  flame-colour,  the  com- 
position and  preparation  is  as  usual,  nothing  but 
pure  cochineal  being  put  in,  but  in  the  reddening, 
half  cochineal  and  half  madder  is  used  : here  also 
the  sylvestre  may  be  made  use  of,  for  after  having 
made  the  preparation  with  cochineal,  for  redden- 
ing, use  half  a pound  of  cochineal,  a pound  and  a 
half  of  sylvestre,  and  one  pound  of  madder  instead 
of  cochineal  alone. 

That  the  wool  and  stuffs  may  be  died  as  equally 
as  possible,  it  is  necessary  that  the  two  kinds  of 
cochineal  be  well  rubbed  or  sifted,  as  also  the  mad- 
der, with  which  they  must  be  well  incorporated 
before  they  are  put  into  the  liquor.  This  must 
be  observed  in  all  colours,  where  several  ingredi- 
ents are  mixt  together.  This  half  scarlet  is  finish- 
ed liked  the  common  scarlet,  and  it  may  be  sad- 
dened after  the  same  maiiKcr,  either  with  boiling 
water  or  alum. 

The  half-crimson  is  made  like  the  common 
crimson,  only  using  half  madder,  and  half  coebi*. 
neal,  the  cochineal  sylvestre  may  be  used  here  al- 
so, observing  only  to  retrench  half  of  the  common 
cochineal , and  to  replace  it  with  three  times  as  much 
of  .the  sylvestre.  If  a greater  quantity  of  the  syl- 
vestre was  used,  and  more  of  the  other  taken  off, 
the  colour  would  not  be  so  fine.  Various  shades 


151 


Biay  be  produced  by  augmenting  or  lessening  the 
madder  or  cochineal. 

Purple  with  Madder  without  Blue. 

I shall  finish  this  chapter  with  an  experiment 
which  afforded  a pretty  fine  purple  without  cochi- 
neal, or  without  the  cloth  being  first  died  blue.  1 
boiled  a piece  of  cloth  weighing  half  an  ounce, 
wfith  ten  grains  of  Roman  alum,  and  six  grains  of 
crystal  of  tartar  ; half  an  hour  after  I took  it  out, 
wrung  it,  and  let  it  cool  ; then  added  to  the  same 
liquor  twenty  four  grains  of  grape  madder  ; after 
it  had  furnished  its  die  to  this  liquor,  still  impreg- 
nated with  salts  I dropt  in  twenty  four  drops  of  a 
solution  of  bismuth,  made  with  equal  parts  of  wa- 
ter and  spirit  of  nitre,  and  then  dipt  my  doih 
again.  Half  an  hour  after,  I took  it  out,  wrung 
and  washed  it  ; it  was  almost  as  fine  a crimson 
as  if  it  had  been  done  with  cochineal,  it  liad  even 
a sufficient  ground  to  have  remained  in  that 
state. ' 

I dipt  it  again  in  the  same  liquor,  and  boiled  it 
for  a quarter  of  an  hour  ; it  came  out  a pretty  bright 
purple  ; this  purple,  tried  by  the  proof  of  alum, 
rouses  and  embellishes  itself,  and  by  the  proof  of 
soap  it  remained  of  a much  finer  red  than  the  com- 
mon reds  of  madder. 

If  the  cloth  be  kept  for  several  days  moistened 
in  its  liquor  of  tartar  and  alum,  and  afterwards 
died  in  fresh  madder  liquor,  plain  and  without  salts, 
according  to  the  common  method  till  it  has  taken 
a bright  cinnamon  colour,  and  to  this  liquor  be  add- 
ed the  same  solution  of  bismuth,  a chesnut  colour, 
and  no  purple  will  be  obtained.  Thie 


152 


what  exactness  is  required  in  describing  the  pro- 
cesses of  dicing,  for  want  of  which,  all  books  hith- 
erto published  on  this  art  have  been  useless,  as 
they  neglected  to  point  out  the  necessary  cir- 
cumstances for  the  success  of  the  desirsed  col- 
our. 

In  this  second  experiment,  the  cloth  did  at  first 
take  too  much  salts,  they  remained  too  long  in  it, 
and  there  was  none  in  the  liquor  of  the  die  ; for 
want  of  alum  the  purple  did  not  a[>pear,  because 
the  white  earth  of  this  salt  could  not  precipitate  it- 
self with  the  dissolved  parts  of  the  bismuth,  which 
as  has  been  said  in  the  chapter  of  the  kermes,  car. 
ry  with  them  the  blue  parts  of  the  smalt,  which  is 
always  found  in  the  mine  of  bismuth,  and  a portion 
of  which  very  probably  unites  itself  to  this  half 
metal  during  the  melting.  This  mutual  precipi- 
tation IS  performed  in  operation  of  dieing,  by  the 
help  of  the  astringent  parts  of  the  ligneous  fibres 
of  the  madder  root. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


or  YELLOW. 

HITHERTO  ten  sorts  of  drugs  have  been 
named  for  dieing,  yellow,  but  by  the  proofs  that 
have  been  made  it  ^ certain  there  are  but  five  that 
are  sufficiently  lasting  to  be  used  in  the  good  die. 
Sever^fgiore  might  be  added  to  these  five,  as  yel- 
lows arit*"easily  obtained.  I shall  therefore  first 
speak  of  these  five,  which  are  the  weld  or  wold, 
savory,  green  wood,  the  yellow  wood,  and  the  fen- 


ligreek,  bec^Sle  these  only  are  of  the  good  die. 
The  three  first  are  very  common  plants  inlilurope, 
the  yellow  wood  comes  from  the  Indies,  and  fen- 
ugreek is  fownd  every  where.  Weld  is  most 
commonly  used,  as  it  gives  the  brightest  die.  The 
savory  and  the  green  wood  are  best  for  wools  that 
are  to  be  made  greens,  because  their  natural 
colour  borders  a little  on  tlie  green  ; the  two 
others  give  shades  of  yellow  somewhat  different. 

The  yellows  most  known  in  the  art  of  dicing 
are  the  straw  yellow,  the  pale  yellow,  and  the  lem* 
on  yellow.  The  orange  yellows  commonly  made 
are  not  simple  colours,  therefore  I shall  not  speak 
of  them  here. 

For  dicing  yellow,  the  common  preparing  wa- 
ter  with  tartar  and  alum  is  used  for  wool  or  stuffs, 
in  the  proportion  of  four  ounces  of  alum  for  each 
pound  of  wool,  or  twenty  five  pounds  for  the  hun- 
dred, and  one  ounce  of  tartar,  and  the  method  of 
boiling  is  the  same  as  before.  For  welding,  after 
the  wool  or  stuff  is  boiled,  put  five  or  six  pounds 
of  weld  in  a fresh  liquor  for  each  pound  of  stuff ; 
let  the  weld  be  inclosed  in  a linen  bag,  that  it  may 
not  mix  with  the  stuff,  and  that  the  bag  may  not 
rise  to  the  top  of  the  copper,  it  must  be  kept  dow% 
with  a heavy  cross  of  wood.  Others  boil  the  weld 
till  it  has  furnished  all  its  die,  and  sinks  itself  to 
the  bottom  of  the  copper,  at  which  time  thev  place 
on  it  a cross  or  iron  circle  fitted  with  a net  of  cords. 
Others  take  it  out  with  a rake  when  it  is  sufficient- 
ly f^oiled  : sometimes  yellow  wood  and  other  in- 
gredients are  mixed  with  the  weld,  according  to 
the  shade  required,  by  altering  the  quantities  and 
the  proportions  of  the  salts  in  the  preparation  -and 
the  time  of  boiling.  I know  by  experience,  that 


154 


V 


these  shades  may  be  obtained  ad  injinitum.  This 
proof  I have  had  in  the  essays  I made  with  the 
flower  of  the  virga,  a very  great  acquisition  in  the 
art  of  dieing,  if  this  plant  was  improved,  which 
may  be  easily  done,  since  it  shoots  a great  many 
stems,  and  whose  small  ones  may  be  easily  trans- 
planted, and  produce  quantities  in  the  course  of 
one  year. 

Light  shades  of  yellow  are  obtained  in  the  same 
manner  as  all  others  spoken  of,  only  the  preparing 
liquor  for  these  light  yellows  must  be  weaker.  I 
recommend  twelve  pounds  and  a half  of  alum  for 
each  hundred  pounds  of  wool,  and  the  tartar  in 
proportion  ; but  these  light  shades  do  not  resist 
the  proofs  as  deeper  shades  do,  made  with  the  full 
proportion  of  tartar. 

Some  diers  endeavouring  to  help  this,  leave  the 
wool  and  stuffs  for  a longer  time  in  the  die,  because 
they  take  it  slower  in  proportion  to  the  weakness 
of  the  liquor  ; but  if  they  put  at  the  same  time  in 
the  colouring  liquor,  wools  whose  preparation 
shall  have  been  different,  they  shall  take  at  the 
same  time  different  shades.  These  liquors  more 
or  less  strong  are  called  half  preparing  liquors,  or 
quarter- preparing  liquors,  and  they  make  great 
use  of  them  in  light  shades  of  wool  died  in  the 
fleece,  that  is,  before  being  spun,  and  which  are 
intended  for  the  manufacturing  of  cloths  and  other 
mixed  stuffs  ; because  the  more  alum  there  is  in 
the  liquor  of  the  wool,  the  more  it  is  harsh  and 
ditticult  to  spin,  and  it  must  spin  thicker,  and  con- 
sequently the  stuff  is  coarser.  This  observation 
is  not  of  great  consequence  for  spun  wool  which 
is  intended  for  tapestry  or  for  stuffs.  I only  men- 
tion it  to  shew  that  the  quantity  of  ingredients  may 
be  sometimes  varied  without  danger. 


155 


The  yellow  wood  is  used  in  chips,  or  in  coarse 
shavings  ; by  this  means  it  is  more  divided,  and 
yields  its  die  the  better,  and  a less  quantity  will 
do  ; which  way  soever  it  is  used,  it  is  put  into  a 
bag,  that  it  may  not  mix  with  the  wool  or  stuffs. 
The  same  precaution  is  necessary  for  the  savory 
and  green  wood,  when  they  are  mixed  with  the 
weld  to  change  its  shade. 

I refer  to  the  lesser  die  the  five  other  ingredients 
hitherto  known  which  die  yellow,  and  shall  only 
observe  here  in  regard  to  the  good  die,  that  the 
root  of  the  dock,  the  bark  of  the  ash  tree,  particu- 
larly that  which  is  raised  after  the  first  sap,  the 
leaves  of  almond,  peach  and  pear  trees  ; in  short, 
all  leaves,  barks  and  roots,  which  by  chewing  shew 
some  little  astriction,  give  yellows  of  the  good  die 
more  or  less  fine,  according  to  the  time  they  are 
boiled,  and  in  proportion  to  the  tartar  and  alum 
used  in  the  liquor  : a proper  quantity  of  alum 
brings  these  yellows  to  the  beautiful  yellow  of  the 
weld.  If  the  tartar  is  in  greater  quantity,  these 
yellows  will  border  on  the  orange  ; and  lastly,  if 
these  ingredients  are  too  much  boiled,  let  them  be 
roots,  barks,  or  leaves,  the  yellow  obscures  itself, 
and  takes  browm  shades. 

Although  son\e  diers  use  tumeric  in  the  good 
die,  which  gives  an  orange  yellow,  this  practice  is 
to  be  condemned,  for  it  is  a colour  that  soon  passes 
in  the  air,  unless  it  be  secured  by  sea- salt,  which 
some  diers  do,  w'ho  take  care  to  keep  this  imposi- 
tion to  ihemselvcs.  Those  who  make  use  of  it  in 
common  scarlets,  to  spare  cochineal,  and  to  give 
to  their  stuff  a red  bordering  on  the  orange,  are 
blameable,  for  the  scarlets  that  have  been  died  after 
this  manner  lose  in  a short  time  that  bright  orange, 


/ 


156 


as  I have  already  said,  they  brown  considerably  I 
in  the  air.  Yet  these  falsifications  are  obliged  to  1 
be  in  some  measure  tolerated  ; for  at  this  time  that  ■ 
bright  orange  being  in  fashion,  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  give  it  to  scarlet,  without  putting  alarg-  j 
er  dose  of  composition,  whose  acids  would  greatly  | 
hurt  the  cloth.  The  fustic  wood  is  now  preferred  | 
in  scarlet. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


OF  BROWN. 

BROWN  is  the  fourth  of  the  primary  colours. 

It  is  placed  in  this  rank,  because  it  enters  in  the  j 
composition  of  a great  number  of  colours-  I'he  I 
working  it  is  different  from  others,  for  commonly 
no  preparation  is  given  to  wool  to  be  died  brown, 
and,  like  the  blue,  it  is  only  dipped  in  hot  wa- 
ter. 

The  rinds  and  roots  of  walnut,  the  rind  of  the 
alder,  santal,  sumach,  roudoul  or  sovic,  soot,  &c. 
are  used  in  this  die. 

The  rind  of  the  walnut  is  the  green  part  that 
covers  the  nut ; they  arc  gathered  when  the  nuts 
are  entirely  ripe,  then  filled  into  great  casks  and 
moistened  with  water  ; they  are  thus  preserved 
until  the  ensuing  year  and  longer  if  required. 

The  santal  or  saunders  is  a hard  W’ood  brought 
from  the  Indies  ; it  is  commonly  used  ground 
to  a very  fine  powder,  it  is  preserved  for  some 
time  in  this  state  in  bags,  to  excite  (as  is  imagined) 
a slight  fermentation,  which  they  pretend  makes 


it  the  better  for  use,  but  I could  find  no  differ- 
ence. 

This  wood  is  most  commonly  ground  with  a 
third  part  of  cariatoiir  wood,  which  softens  it  ac- 
cording to  those  who  sell  it.  It  is  greatlv  inferior 
to  walnut  rinds,  for  it  hurts  the  wool  by  harden- 
ing it  considerably  if  used  in  large  quantities, 
therefore  it  is  better  not  to  use  it  for  fine  wools  and 
stuffs,  or  at  least  to  dra\v  but  the  lightest  shades, 
for  then  its  effect  will  be  of  less  consequence.  It 
is  generally  mixed  with  galls,  alder,  bark,  and  su- 
mach ; it  is  only  by  this  means  that  it  gives  its 
colour  when  used  alone,  and  unmixed  with  the 
cariatour  wood.  It  yields  but  very  little  with  the 
liquor  5f  alum  and  tartar  unless  it  be  rasped.  Not- 
withstanding this  defect,  it  is  tolerated  in  the  good 
die,  on  account  r,f  the  solidhv  of  its  colour,  which 
naturally  is  a yellow  red- brown  : it  browns  and 
grows  deep  in  the  air,  it  lightens  with  soap,  but 
looses  less  by  the  proof  of  alum,  and  still  less  by 
that  of  tartar. 

Of  all  the  ingredients  used  for  the  brown  die, 
the  walnut  rind  is  the  best  ; its  shades  are  finer, 
its  colour  is  lasting,  it  softens  the  wool,  renders  it 
of  a belter  quality,  and  easier  to  work.  To  make 
use  of  this  rind,  a copper  is  half  filled,  and  w hen 
it  begins  to  grow  luke  warm,  the  rind  is  added 
in  proportion  to  the  quantities  of  stufis  to  be  died 
and  the  colour  intended.  The  copper  is  then 
made  to  boil,  and  w hen  it  has  boiled  a quarter  of 
an  hour,  the  stuffs,  which  were  before  dipped  in 
warm  water,  are  put  in.  They  are  to  be  stirred 
and  turned  until  they  acquire  the  desired  colour. 
If  it  is  spun  wool,  and  that  the  shades  required  are 
to  be  matched  with  great  exactness,  a sniaiiouan- 


158 


tity  of  rind  is  to  be  put  in  first,  and  the  lightest  are 
first  made  ; more  rind  is  then  put  in,  and  then  the 
deepest  are  made : but  to  work  with  stuffs,  the 
deepest  are  generally  made  first,  and  as  the  colour 
of  the  liquor  diminishes,  the  lightest  are  dipped  ; 
they  are  aired  as  usual  to  cool  them,  dried,  and 
dressed. 

Next  to  the  walnut  rind  is  the  root  ; it  gives  a 
great  number  of  shades  and  pretty  near  the  same  ; 
thus  they  may  be  substituted  the  one  for  the  other, 
according  to  the  facility  of  obtaining  them,  but 
there  is  a difference  in  the  manner  of  usincr  the 
root.  A copper  is  filled  three  quarters  full  of  riv- 
er water  ; the  quantity  of  root  that  is  thought  con- 
venient is  cut  into  small  pieces,  and  added  in  pro- 
portion to  the  quantity  of  wool  to  be  died  and  the 
{^ade  required. 

When  the  liquor  is  hot,  so  as  not  to  bear  the 
hand,  the  stuffs  are  put  in  and  turned,  until  they 
have  the  desired  shade,  carefully  observir-g  to  air 
them  from  time  to  time,  and  to  pass  them  between 
the  hands  by  the  lists,  to  make  the  small  pieces  of 
roots  ..hat  stick  fall  off  to  prevent  their  blotting  ; 
but  this  may  be  remedied  by  inclosing  the  cut 
root  in  a bag,  as  has  been  said  of  the  yellow  root# 
The  stuffs  that  are  to  be  of  lighter  shades  are  then 
to  be  dipped,  and  to  be  thus  continued  until  the 
root  gives  no  more  die.  If  it  is  spun  wool,  the 
lightest  are  to  be  made  first  to  match  them  the 
better,  as  1 have  already  said  in  speaking  of  other 
colours;  but  above  all,  care  must  be  taken  not  to 
boil  the  liquor  at  first,  for  then  this  root  would 
give  all  its  colour  to  the  first  piece  of  stuff, 
and  there  would  not  remain  sufficient  for  the 
rest# 


159 


The  method  of  dicing  wool  with  roots  is  not 
very  easy,  for  if  great  care  is  not  taken  to  bring  the 
die  to  a proper  degree  of  heat  and  to  stir  the  wool 
and  stuffs  so  that  they  may  be  equally  soaked  in 
the  copper,  they  run  the  hazard  of  being  made  too 
deep  or  of  being  blotted,  which  cannot  be  reme- 
died but  by  giving  them  a chesnut,  prune,  or  coffee 
colour,  as  I shall  show  when  I treat  of  the  colours 
and  shades  arising  from  the  mixture  of  black  and 
brown. 

To  avoid  this  inconvenience,  the  stuffs  must  be 
continually  turned  round  the  wynch,  and  dipped 
piece  after  piece,  and  great  care  must  be  taken  not 
to  boil  the  roots  too  much,  but  always  to  leave 
some  dicing  substance  in  them.  When  the  wool 
or  stuffs  are  died  after  this  method,  they  are  aired, 
washed,  and  dried* 

The  method  of  treating  the  alder  bark  differs 
not  from  that  of  the  walnut  root  before  de- 
scribed, except  that  there  is  less  danger  in  boiling 
it  at  the  beginning,  as  it  gives  less  ground  of  col- 
our to  the  stuff,  it  is  commonly  used  for  thread, 
and  for  colours  that  are  to  be  saddened  with  green 
copperas  ; it  has,  however  a good  effect  on  wool 
for  colours  that  are  not  very  deep,  and  it  perfectly 
resists  the  action  of  the  air  and  sun. 

The  sumach  is  pretty  near  the  same  ; it  is  used 
after  the  same  manner  as  the  green  shells  or  inward 
coats  of  walnuts  ; it  still  gives  less  ground  of  col- 
our, and  borders  somewhat  on  the  green  ,*  it  is 
often  substituted  for  galls  in  colours  that  are  to  be 
saddened,  and  it  answers  perfectly  well,  but  must? 
be  used  in  larger  quantities. 

These  different  matters  are  often  mixed  togeth- 
GT,  andas  they  are  equally  good,  and  produce 


160 


pearly  the  same  effect,  they  readily  afford  a vari- 
ety of  shades  ; and  yet  there  is  nothing  but 
practice  can  teach  this  variety  of  brown  shades, 
for  they  entirely  depend  on  the  eye  of  the  di- 
er. 

To  use  these  ingredients  mixt,  and  ground 
saunders  together,  put  four  pounds  of  this  last 
into  a copper,  half  a pound  of  powdered  galls, 
twelve  pounds  of  elder  bark,  and  ten  pounds  of 
sumach  ; this  quantity  will  die  twenty  five  or 
twenty  seven  ells  of  cloth  ; the  whole  is  boiled, 
and  having  slackened  the  boil  by  means  of  a lit- 
tle cold  W'ater,  the  cloth  is  put  in,  turned  and  well 
stirred  for  two  hours ; after  which  it  is  taken  out, 
aired  and  washed  ; other  stuffs  that  are  to  be 
of  a lighter  shade  are  then  put  in,  and  thus 
continued  as  long  as  the  liquor  affoads  any  col- 
our. 

The  quantity  of  these  ingredients  is  augmented 
or  diminished  in  proportion  to  the  height  of  the 
§hade,  and  the  stuffs  or  wool  are  boiled  more  or 
less  accordingly.  1 have  already  observed  that 
by  this  means  only  the  colour  can  be  extracted 
from  the  sannders. 

I liave  lierc  treated  of  the  sannders  and  the 
manner  of  using  it,  although  it  should  have  been 
classed  with  the  lesser  dies,  as  this  woad  oueht 
only  to  be  used  for  stuffs  of  low  prices,  because 
of  the  defects  before  spoken  of ; yet  as  it  is  work- 
ed almost  after  the  same  manne  r as  the  other  in- 
grt:dients  for  dicing  brown,  and  in  several  places 
is  even  tolerated  in  the  good  die,  as  it  resists  the 
sun  and  air  as  w’ell  as  the  others,  I thought  it 
would  not  be  improper  here  to  give  the  method 
of  working  it ; for  the  same  reason  I shall  now 


Ul 


describe  the  method  of  dieing  with  soot,  though^ 
permitted  only  in  the  lesser  die,  having  less  solidi- 
ty than  the  rest,  besides  hardening  the  wool,  and 
giving  a disagreeable  smell  \o  the  stuffs. 

The  soot  (wood  soot)  is  commonly  put  into  the 
copper  the  same  time  as  the  water,  and  the  whole 
is  well  boiled  together  ; the  stuff  is  then  dipt  in, 
which  is  to  boil  more  or  less,  according  to  the 
shade  required  ; after  vvhich  it  is  taken  out  and 
aired,  and  those  put  in  which  are  to  be  lighter  ; 
they  are  then  to  be  well  washed  and  dried,  but  it 
is  better  to  boil  the  soot  in  the  water  for  two  hours 
then  let  it  settle  and  empty  the  liquor  into  anoth- 
er copper,  without  mixing  the  soot  ; the  wool  and 
stuffs  are  put  into  this  liquor,  and  are  less  harden- 
ed av  d dried  than  when  they  have  been  mixt  with 
the  soot  itself,  but  the  colour  is  not  solid,  and  it 
is  better  not  to  make  use  of  it  for  dieing  stuffs 
that  bear  a price,  and  more  so  as  all  its  shades 
may  be  had  by  the  foregoing  ingredients,  vvhich 
are  better,  more  lasting,  and  also  soften  the 
W'ooi. 

The  diers  of  the  lesser  die  usually  employ  the 
rinds  of  the  nut  and  the  root  of  the  walnut  tree 
for  their  brown  colours  ; the  working  of  these 
two  ingredients  being  common  to  diers  of  the 
greater  or  lesser  die  ; but  there  arc  places  where 
it  is  difficult  to  obtain  them,  and  then  the  saim- 
ders  and  even  soot  are  obliged  to  be  used  in  their 
stead. 

What  I have  hitherto  said  to  account  for  the 
solidity  of  the  colours  of  the  good  die,  may  seem 
not  to  agree  with  brown  colours  spoken  of  in  this 
ehaptci,  since  these  are  firmly  applied  on  the  wool 
without  any  preparation  to  receive  them  by  the  11^ 


m 


<|Uor  of  alum  and  tartar,  and  consequently  without 
first  introducing  into  the  pores  of  the  fibres  a salt 
capable  of  hardening  itself  in  the  cold,  and  to 
cement  the  atoms  that  colour  the  brown  ; but  if 
on  a chymical  analysis  the  green  shell  of  walnuts, 
the  root  of  the  walnut-tree,  the  rind  of  alder, 
should  be  proved  to  contain,  besides  their  astrin- 
gent  properties,  a vitriolated  tartar,  which  is  a salt 
that  does  not  calcine  in  the  sun,  and  that  is  only 
dissolved  by  boiling  water  ; this  I say  will  con- 
vince that  these  ingredients  are  sufficient  of  them- 
selves to  produce  on  the  stuffs,  without  any  foreign 
help,  the  same  effect  as  the  other  drugs,  whose 
colours  are  not  set  in  with  solidity,  but  by  the 
help  of  a salt  capable  of  cementing  the  colouring 
atoms. 

The  soot  does  not  give  so  lasting  a brown,  be- 
cause it  only  contains  a volatile  and  an  earthy  salt 
easily  dissolved,  and  in  fact  the  soot  being  only 
composed  of  the  lightest  and  most  volatile  parts 
of  combustible  bodies,  which  have  served  as  food 
for  the  fire,  it  could  not  raise  tartar  of  vitriol  along 
with  it,  which  is  a salt  that  does  not  rise  by  heat, 
and  which  is  also  seldom  found  in  the  wood  which 
we  commonly  burn  in  our  chimnies. 

As  I am  not  willing  to  omit  any  thing  within 
the  limits  of  my  knowledge,  on  the  article  of 
woollen  dicing,  I shall  give  two  or  three  hints  on 
the  acid  of  vitriol. 

If  you  would  have  a beautiful  claret  on  wool, 
stuffs,  or  cloih,  boil  in  a copper  of  a good  size,  red 
wood  or  saunders  in  proportion  to  the  shade  you 
want,  and  two  pounds  of  logwood,  for  fi;rty 
pounds  of  wool  previously  scoured.  When  the 
ingredients  have  boiled  half  an  hour,  put  a pint  of 


163 


oil  of  vitriol  into  a pail  of  cold  water,  and  add  it 
to  the  liquor,  when  the  wool  must  be  put  in,  and 
gently  boiled  for  two  or  three  hours.  It  is  then 
to  be  taken  up  on  a scray,  that  is,  set  across  the 
copper  to  drain,  and  five  or  six  pails  of  water  pour- 
ed over  it.  The  copper  must  be  then  run  down 
and  filled  as  before  with  fair  water,  and  when  it  is 
hot,  ten  pounds  of  copperas  and  four  ounces  of 
pearl-ashes  must  be  added,  and  the  wool  returned 
and  well  worked  with  a long  pole  to  make  it 
even. 

The  ashes  (which  are  a fixed  alkali)  act  upon 
the  logwood,  and  give  it  a fine  lustre  at  the  same 
time.  It  weakens  the  acid  of  the  vitriol,  and 
makes  way  for  the  copperas  to  do  its  part,  which 
would  otherwise  be  kept  at  a distance  ; the  vitri- 
ol does  not  obstruct  the  cloth  in  the  fulling-mill, 
for  the  vitriol,  which  some  suppose  to  be  a great 
enemy  in  the  mill,isdivestedofitsacid  by  the  strong 
alkali  contained  in  the  chamber  ley  in  securing, 
and  the  colour  remains  perfectly  vivid.  If  for  for- 
ty pounds  of  w'ool,  &c  ten  pounds  of  nut  galls 
were  bruised  and  boiled  with  the  above  ingredi- 
ents, the  acid  therein  contained  would  produce  as 
brilliant  a colour,  and,  if  possible,  more  holding 
than  the  former  ; but  if  galls  are  used,  the  same 
liquor  will  do  the  same  business  when  the  coppe- 
ras is  added  without  ashes  as  a fresh  water  would 
when  vitriol  is  used.  If  forty  pounds  of  cloth,  stuff, 
or  worsted  were  boiled  in  a sufficient  quantity  of 
redwood  or  saunders,  and  one  pint  of  prepared 
aqua  fortis  be  added  to  the  liquor  after  the  goods 
have  boiled  an  hour  and  a half,  and  then  turned 
well  for  half  an  hour,  the  colour  will  be  vivid  and 
fine  ; the  copper  must  be  well  cooled  when  the 
spirits  are  put  in. 


164 


When  cloth  or  stuffs  are  died  claret  with  oil  of 
vitriol,  great  care  must  be  taken  to  turn  them  con- 
tinually over  the  vvynch,  and  particularly  in  taking 
OUT,  observe  the  instant  the  last  end  comes  up  to 
take  off  iiito  a large  tub  of  cold  water,  that  all 
parts  may  cool  alike,  or  the  colour  will  be  very 
uneven,  as  the  vitriol  when  hot  will  not  bear  the 
air. 

Oil  of  vitriol  is  so  useful  a thing  in  dicing,  that 
any  colour,  save  woaded  blue  or  green,  niay,  by 
the  help  of  its  acid,  be  brought  to  a fine  claret^, 
black  not  excepted. 

CHAPTER  XVlh 


OF  BLACX. 

BLACK  is  the  fifth  of  the  primary  colours.  To^ 
die  the  best  and  most  lively  shade  a vessel  sulfi* 
ciently  large  is  filled  with  soft  water,  and  for  ev- 
ery hundred  weight  of  cloth,  thirty  pounds  of  log- 
wood in  chips  must  be  put  in,  with  half  a pail  (;f 
elder  bark  and  six  pounds  of  sumach  ; boil  these 
ingredients  together  half  an  hour,  when  the  cloth 
may  be  entered  (the  copper  being  first  cooled  by 
the  addition  of  cold  water)  and  broiled  an  hour  and 
a half,  being  instantly  turned  on  the  wynch  to  pre- 
vent an  unevenness  of  die.  This  operation  being 
ended,  which  is  called  a preparation  or  stuffing  the 
blacks,  I shall  proceed  to  the  finishing. 

A pmall  tub  is  to  be  placed  at  the  side  of  the 
copper,  out  of  which  it  must  be  filled  with  hot  li- 
Uuor,  in  which  put  ten  or  fourteen  pounds  of  cop- 


165 


peras  to  dissolve  ; the  cloth  is  then  kept  turning, 
whilst  a man  with  a piggin  is  lading  the  copperas 
water  into  the  copper  ; the  cloth  is  turned  here  at 
a boiling  heat  one  hour,  then  taken  out  and  cooled 
well  in  all  parts  alike  ; when  thoroughly  cold, 
return  it  into  the  copper,  with  two  handfuls  of 
eopperas,and  boil  it  gently  as  before  for  two  hours, 
then  cool  it  again* 

Whilst  the  second  cooling  is  carrying  on,  six 
pounds  of  logwood,  ten  pound  of  bark,  and  two 
pounds  of  argil,  with  ten  pounds  of  soda  or  com- 
mon ashes,  and  three  pounds  of  copperas,  must  be 
added  to  the  liquor  ; these  ingredients  must  be 
made  to  boil  one  hour,  when  the  goods  must  be 
turned  and  worked  one  hour.  Keep  the  wynch 
continually  turning,  always  observing  that  the  small 
portion  of  air  w hich  the  goods  receive  by  turning 
on  the  wynch,  contributes  much  to  the  beauty  of 
the  colour.  Some  diers  instead  of  ashes  use  cham- 
ber ley,  but  this  is  a bad  custom.  If  they  tvculd 
become  good  black  diers,  they  must  abandon  their 
old  practice,  and  by  mixing  their  natural  genius 
with  reason  and  good  sense,  they  will  soon  find  by 
experience,  that  the  acid  of  the  argil  acts  only  on 
the  vitriolic  acid  of  the  copperas,  and  prevents  a 
brown  or  rusty  hue  that  will  unavoidably  proceed 
from  the  logwood  ; the  alkaline  power  of  the  ash- 
es at  the  same  time  farces  it  to  asume  its  natural 
violet  colour  ; that  if  too  great  a quantity  of  log- 
wood is  not  used,  (which  would  certainly  preju- 
dice the  colour)  and  this  rule  carefully  observed, 
the  black  would  resemble  a raven’s  feather ; they 
must  be  well  washed  at  the  fulling  mill. 

I shall  not  entertain  the  reader  with  a tedious 
recital  of  the  manner  of  treating  those  goods  whose 


166 


superior  quality  renders  it  needful  that  they  should 
previously  be  died  blue.  It  is  sufficient  to  know, 
that  they  must  have  a less  proportion  of  ingredi- 
ents, though  the  operation  is  the  same  as  that  of 
the  common  black. 

When  fine  cloth  is  to  be  died  black,  great  care 
must  be  taken  not  to  let  it  hang  on  the  wynch  one 
minute  ; it  must  be  thrown  oft  the  instant  the  last 
comes  up ; otherwise  its  own  weight  when  wet 
and  hot  would  fill  it  with  wrinkles  that  would  nev- 
er remove.  The  same  caution  must  be  taken 
when  the  cloth  is  on  the  floor,  to  draw  it  between 
two  men  over  a long  stick  by  the  lists,  each  tak- 
ing hold  of  one  end  with  their  left  hand,  to  be  con?- 
tinned  till  cold  before  it  be  returned. 

Remarks  on  the  Black  Die. 

The  most  essential  thing  to  be  remarked  is,  thal 
it  prejudices  and  weakens  the  goods  ; for  this  rea- 
son those  that  are  died  black  are  soonest  worn 
out ; they  are  however  in  all  other  respects  equal 
to  those  that  are  died  other  colours.  This  delect 
is  chiefly  to  be  attributed  to  the  vitriolic  acid  of 
the  copperas,  which  is  only  imperfectly  saturated 
by  the  iron  ; as  iron  united  to  any  other  acid, 
and  even  to  vegetable  acids,  is  capable  of  produ- 
cing black  with  astringent  vegetables.  There  is 
great  cause  to  think  that  by  substituting  other 
combinations  of  this  metal  for  the  copperas,  this 
inconvenience  might  be  remedied. 

These  are  certainly  good  and  useful  essays  to 
attempt-  It  is  not  without  cause  that  the  blacks 
are  directed  to  be  aired  between  the  dippings,  as 
it’'  infinitely  contributes  to  the  beauty  of  the  die  j 


167 


for  it  is  certain  that  this  die  is  different  from  most 
others  which  lose  of  their  colour  in  drying  ; this 
on  the  contrary  acquires  a great  deal ; it  is  univer- 
sally known,  that  good  writing  ink  does  notap- 
pear  any  thing  near  so  black  when  fresh  and  re- 
cently used,  as  w^  en  dry  and  that  even  it  grows 
more  black  during  a certain  s[>ace  of  time.  The 
same  happens  to  the  black  die.  The  cloth  is  in 
some  measure  of  a grey  blackish  colour  immedi- 
ately afterthe  first  dip  ; it  only  acquires  the  beau- 
tiful black  on  being  exposed  to  the  air  ; this  is 
not  the  only  example  of  the  influence  of  the  air 
on  colours  ; the  blue  vat  exhibits  something 
like  it. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


OF  THE  MIXTURE  OF  BLUE  AND  RED. 

IN  speaking  of  the  red  I observed  that  there 
were  four  different  kinds  in  the  good  die»  We 
shall  now  explain  the  tfi’cct  of  these  different  reds 
placed  on  a sfuff  that  has  been  previously  died 
blue.  If  a blue  stuff  is  boiled  in  alum  and  tartar, 
after  the  maimer  and  proportion  taught  in  the  ar- 
ticle of  red,  and  which  is  afterwards  to  be  died 
with  kermes,  the  following  colours  will  result, 
viz.  The  king’s  colour,  the  prince’s  colour,  the 
pansy,  the  violet,  the  purple,  and  several  other 
like  colours  ; but  the  keimes  is  seldom  used 
for  these  colours,  on  account  of  its  high  price 
and  the  quantity  which  would  be  required,  but 
more  so,  because  cochineal  yields  a liner  colour 


168 


for  this  purpose,  and  with  greater  ease.  I have  \ 
alre.icly  observed  that  kermes  is  seldom  used,  i 
though  there  are  several  compound  colours  in  i 
which  it  produces  a very  good  effect,  as  will  be  i 
more  particularly  described. 

When  the  kermes  is  used  to  lay  a red  on  blue, 
it  is  indifferent  what  ground  of  blue  is  first  given, 
or  v/hether  it  be  given  before  or  after  the  stuff'  is 
died  red,  because  the  colour  of  the  kermes  is  too  j 
solid  to  be  changed  by  the  lime  of  the  vvoad  vat, 
(unless  the  vat  be  over-loaded)or  by  the  pearl-ash-  -i 
es  Hi  the  indigo.  Thus  if  the  woad  vat  is  not  too  { 
old,  it  may  be  begun  by  either  of  these  two  coL  ! 
ours  at  pleasure,  or  by  that  which  is  most  conven- 
ient to  match  the  shade.  Although  I named  but 
a small  number  of  colours,  a great  many  may  be 
draw  n from  these  two  principal  ones,  according 
as  the  one  or  the  other  may  be  more  predomi- 
nant. 

The  mixture  of  blue  with  fire  colour  scarlet  is 
never  usf  d in  any  of  theit  shades.  To  convince 
myself  by  experience  I took  a piece  of  cloth  died 
in  scarlet,  and  dipt  it  in  the  blue  vat,  and  died  a 
second  piece  according  to  the  method  of  dieing 
scarlet,  having  previously  died  it  blue.  The  one 
and  the  other  succeeded  very  badly,  and  made  a 
kind  ol  dull  spotted  violet,  so  it  appeared  that  the 
two  colours  did  not  unite,  but  that  they  were  laid 
each  on  different  parts  of  the  wool.  This  no 
doubt  is  caused  by  the  acids  which  enter  the 
composition  of  the  scarlet.  But  without  entering 
here  upon  the  physical  reason  of  this  operation, 
which  might  occasion  too  long  a dissertation,  and 
tedious  rep'etition  of  what  I have  already  said,  the 
fact  appears  sufficient  here  j it  prove^s  that  no 


169 


beautiful  colour  can  be  had  from  the  mixture  of 
blue  and  scarlet ; ii  must  be  crimson. 

From  the  mixture  of  blue  and  crimson,  the  co- 
lumbine, the  purple,  the  amaranth,  the  pansy,  and 
the  violet  are  formed  ; these  colours  have  also  a 
great  number  of  shades  which  depend  upanthe 
shades  of  the  other  colour,  from  whence  they  are 
derived. 

I have  said  so  much  on  the  primary  colours, 
that  no  difficulty  can  remain  in  the  execution  of 
the  compound  colours. 

Stuffs  or  spun  wool  are  first  made  of  one  col- 
our, and  then  died  of  the  other,  precisely  as  if  it 
was  white  ; but  it  must  be  observed  in  this  case, 
that  the  stuff  be  first  died  blue  before  it  is  made 
into  crimson,  for  the  reason  before  given,  that 
the  alkali  of  the  one  or  the  other  vat  greatly 
obscures  the  brightness  of  the  red  of  the  cochu 
neal. 

To  make  violets,  purples,  and  other  like  shades, 
what  I have  already  said  on  crimson  is  to  be  fol- 
lowed, because  these  colours  will  lutvc  neither 
brightness  nor  lustre,  but  by  following  the  precau- 
tions necessary  for  fine  crimsons. 

From  blue,  and  the  red  of  madder,  proceeds  al- 
so the  king’s  colour,  the  prince’s  colour,  (but  in- 
finitely less  beautiful  than  when  the  kermes  is  made 
use  of ; for  the  red  of  the  madder  is  always  obscur- 
ed  by  the  brown  of  its  ligneous  parts)  the  minime, 
the  tan  colour,  the  amaranth,  the  dry  rose,  ahr  avs 
less  bright  than  when  the  kermes  is  made  use  of. 
Nevertheless  it  is  sometimes  mixed  with  madder, 
as  I have  already  said,  to  make  halfigrained  scar- 
lets, and  the  colours  which  proceed  from  it  arc 
always  finer  than  when  madder  alone  is  used  on  a 
P 


170 


stuff  died  blue  ; madder  is  also  mixed  with  cochi- 
neab  as  in  the  half  crimsons,  and  a great  number 
of  very  fine  shades  are  drawn  from  them,  which 
cannot  have  paiiicular  names,  but  which  border 
on  those  I have  just  mentioned.  Some  of  these 
may  be  made  as  fine  as  if  dearer  ingredients  were 
made  use  of.  It  is  the  business  and  profit  of  the 
dier  not  to  use  the  dearest,  when  the  same  effects 
may  be  produced  by  the  cheapest  ingredients.  It 
is  impossible  for  me  to  give  any  instructions  on 
this  article,  since  use  alone  can  teach  it.  The 
old  liquor  of  madder  and  cochineal  is  often  used, 
whose  colours  have  not  been  entirely  extracted, 
which  makes  a considerable  saving,  and  the  colour 
’is  not  less  good.  I can  say  nothing  positive  on  this, 
since  the  effect  which  will  result  from  it  depends 
on  what  colour  may  remain  in  the  liquor,  and  on 
the  shade  intended. 


chapter  XIX. 


OF  THE  MIXTURE  OF  BLUE  AND  YELLOW. 

FROM  the  mixture  of  blue  and  yellow  but  one 
colour  is  produced,  which  is  green  ; but  there  are 
a variety  of  shades  ; the  principal  ones  are,  the 
yellow  green,  the  light  green,  the  gay  green,  the 
grass  green,  the  laurel  green,  the  molequin  green, 
the  deep  green,  the  sea  green,  the  celadon  S*’^^*’* 
the  parrot  green,  the  cabbage  green,  and  I shall 
add  the  duck  wing  green,  and  the  celadon  green 
without  blue.  All  these  shades,  and  the  interme- 
diate ones,  are  made  after  the  same  manner  and 


171 


f 

with  the  same  ease.  The  stuff  or  wool  died  blue, 
light  or  dark,  is  boiled  in  alum  and  tartar,  as  is 
usually  done  to  make  a white  stuff  yellow,  and 
then  with  weld,  savory,  or  greening  wool.  All 
these  ingredients  are  equally  good  as  to  solidity, 
but  as  their  yellows  differ  a little,  so  do  the  greens 
that  arise  from  their  mixture.  The  weld  and  the 
savory  are  the  two  plants  that  afford  the  finest 
greens. 

To  make  the  green  shades  which  border  on  the 
yellow,  the  stuff*  must  be  of  a very  light  blue,  and 
boiled  with  the  common  quantity  of  tartar  and  al- 
um to  receive  the  yellow  ; for  without  these  salts 
it  would  not  be  lasting,  (but  for  a parrot  or  cabbage 
green  the  blue  must  be  very  deep)  and  as  it  is  on- 
ly to  have  a light  yellow,  the  stuffs  must  have  but 
a half  preparation  ; I have  already  mentioned  this, 
sometimes  even  a quarter  of  the  water  for  the 
common  preparation  is  sufficient. 

When  the  workmen  make  these  colours,  they 
often  use  the  salts  without  weighing  them,  and 
guess  at  the  quantity  which  they  think  necessary 
for  the  shade  intended  ; a long  practice  may  in 
some  measure  make  them  pretty  exact,  but  it 
would  be  still  better  if  they  did  not  trust  to  it. 

I know  by  repeated  experiments  thatthese  green - 
blue  shades  are  as  wqll  made  by  giving  the  stuff 
the  common  preparation.  The  yellow  which  is 
afterwards  applied  to  it  is  the  more  lasting,  but 
on  this  occasion  less  weld  is  to  be  put  into  the  li» 
quor  of  the  die,  or  any  other  colouring  matter, 
and  the  stuff  must  remain  less  time  in  the  liquor, 
notwithstanding  two  reasons  induced  to  the  con- 
trary ; the  first  and  most  interesting  to  the  dier  is, 
that  they  would  consume  a greater  quantity  of 


172 


drugs  than  is  necessary  ; and  the  second,  that  the 
less  alum  used  in  the  preparation,  the  more  the 
softness  and  the  quality  of  the  wool  is  preserved, 
and  the  less  the  first  die  of  blue  is  damaged  ; for 
the  alum  always  greys  the  blues  a little.  Thus  it 
is  better  to  leave  the  dier  to  his  custom  of  regula- 
ting the  strength  of  his  preparation  to  the  necessa- 
ry pitch  to  give  these  colours. 

I have  said  that  to  die  green  it  was  necessary 
that  the  wool  should  be  previously  blue  ; because 
I think  that  the  two  colours  laid  on  in  this  order 
hold  better,  and  that  the  colour  would  not  be  so 
good  if  otherwise  done.  Of  this  I assure  myself 
by  making  the  greens,  of  which  I have  spoken, 
with  the  five  colouring  matters  already  known, 
which  make  a yellow  of  the  good  die  ; 1 have  tried 
a yellow  of  the  same  materials,  the  contrary,  hav- 
ing dipped  five  yellow  pieces  in  the  woad  vat,  and 
have  had  as  fine  greens  as  the  first.  I exposed 
both  to  the  summer’s  sun,  and  they  have  resisted 
sufficiently  to  be  esteemed  of  the  good  die  ; but 
those  which  had  received  the  blue  before  the  yel- 
low lost  the  least,  so  that  in  particular  circumstan- 
ces the  dier  must  be  allowed  to  begin  first  with 
yellow.  But  greens  which  have  the  blue  colour 
last,  will  sully  the  linen  more  than  the  others ; for 
if  the  blue  has  been  first  died,  all  that  could  be 
taken  off  was  done  by  the  alum  liquor,  which  hap» 
pens  on  the  contrary  when  the  blue  was  put  on 
last ; the  only  remedy  for  this,  is  to  scour  the  green 
well  after  it  comes  out  of  the  copper. 

Cloth  died  king’s  blue,  and  greened  with  the 
flower  of  the  virga  aurea  Canadiensis^  make  a very 
fine  green,  provided  it  has  been  boiled  in  a liquor 
with  three  times  the  weight  of  alum  to  one  of 


white  tartar ; the  green  is  not  inferior  to  that  made 
of  weld. 

I have  also  greened  blues  with  ash  bar^  povw 
dered  ; they  are  of  a very  good  die,  but  hot  of  a 
fine  colour,  and  only  fit  for  liveries.  The-  leaves 
of  almond,  peach  and  pear  trees,  &c.  give  yellows, 
which  serve  to  make  green  shades,  that  are  rather 
difficult  to  hit  on  at  first.  ' 

A stuff  died  in  the  king’s  blue,  well  scoured, 
then  boiled  with  four  parts  of  alum,  and  one  of 
tartar,  takes  a fine  deep  green  of  the  shade  of  a 
duck's  wing;  but  it  must  be  boiled  for  two  hours 
in  a liquor,  with  a sufficient  quantity  of  the  root  of 
sharp  pointed  dock  grossly  bruised. 

This  root,  which  grows  in  every  hedge  and  field, 
is  a good  acquisition  to  the  art  of  dicing  ; for  with 
it,  and  without  any  other  addition  but  the  prepar- 
ing liquor  for  the  stuffs,  it  produces  an  infinity  of 
shades,  from  the  straw  colour  to  a pretty  fine  olive  ; 
only  putting  more  or  less  to  the  liquor,  and  boil- 
ing it  from  half  an  hour  to  three  hours.  These 
shades  stand  all  manner  of  proof.  I strongly  re- 
commend the  cultivation  of  this  dock  in  damp  pla- 
ces, for  its  use  in  dicing. 

The  celadon  green  (a  particular  colour]  is  much 
admired  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  Mediterranean, 
and  may  in  strict  business  be  made  in  the  good 
die,  by  giving  a blue  ground  to  the  stuff.  But 
this  shade  of  blue  must  be  so  weak,  that  it  is  only 
a milk  and  water  colour,  which  is  very  difficult  to 
give  smooth  and  equal.  When  this  shade  has 
been  happily  h‘t,  it  is  easier  to  give  the  yellow  die 
that  suits  it,  with  the  virga  aurea  than  w ith  the 
weld,  rhe  v'lrga  aurea  is  not  known  to  the  di- 
ers  of  Languedoc,  who  make  most  of  these  kind 
P 2 


174 


of  colours,  and  as  the  necessary  blue  shades  arc 
difficult  to  die,  they  are  sometimes  permitted  to 
die  celadons  with  verdigrise,  although  this  colour 
be  in  the  rank  of  the  lesser  die^ 

The  Dutch  make  this  colour  perfectly,  and  ren- 
der it  more  lasting  than  it  commonly  is  with  the 
verdigrise.  Here  follows  their  method. 

Two  coppers  are  set  a little  distance  the  one 
from  the  other.  In  the  first  is  put  for  two  pieces 
of  cloth  of  forty-five  or  fifty  ells  long,  eight  or  ten 
pounds  of  white  soap  cut  small  and  perfectly  melt- 
ed. When  the  liquor  is  ready  to  boil,  the  cloths 
are  dipped  in,  and  boil  for  half  an  hour.  Another 
liquor  is  prepared  in  the  next  copper,  and  when  it- 
is  scalding  hot  a cloth  bag  is  put  in  containing  eight 
or  ten  pounds  of  Cyprus  or  blue  vitriol,  and  ten 
or  twelve  pounds  of  lime,  both  powdered  and 
well  mixt ; this  mixture  must  be  as  equal  as  pos- 
sible. The  bag  is  moved  about  in  the  hot  water, 
-but  not  boiling,  till  all  the  blue  vitriol  is  dissolved 
in  the  liquor  ; then  a wynsh  is  put  up,  surround- 
ed by  a clean  linen  cloth,  and  well  fastened  on ; 
one  end  of  the  two  cloths  is  put  on  the  wynch, 
which  is  turned  swiftly  that  the  cloths  may  quick- 
ly pass  through  the  soap  liquor  to  that  of  the  vit- 
riol ; then  the  wynch  is  worked  more  gently,  that^ 
the  cloth  may  have  time  to  charge  itself  with  the 
parts  of  copper,,  which  the  lime  has  scattered  in 
the  liquor,  by  separating  and  precipitating  them 
from  the  vitriol  which  contained  them.  The 
cloths  are  left  in  this  liquor,  which  must  not  boil 
until  they  have  taken  the  shade  of  the  celadon  that 
was  wanted  ; then  they  arc  taken  out  and  well  air- 
ed : they  must  be  entirely  cold  before  they  arc 
washed,  and  must  touch  no  wood  before  they 


175 


are,  for  the  wood  spots  them  ; for  this  reason  the? 
wynch  and  the  horse  are  surrounded  with  cloth. 

CHAPTER  XX. 


OF  THE  MIXTURE  OF  BLUE  AND  BROWN. 

LITTLE  use  is  made  of  the  shade  which  arises 
from  the  mixture  of  blue  and  brown  ; these  are 
greenish  greys,  or  a kind  of  olives,  which  are  on- 
ly tit  to  match  shades  for  tapestries  ; these  colours 
are  easily  made  when  wanted,  and  it  is  equal  to 
begin  by  the  blue  or  the  brown  colour  to  the  spun 
wool ; but  care  must  betaken  that  it  be  well  scour- 
ed, as  is  done  for  the  blue  and  the  compound  coh 
ours  which  are  finished  by  dipping  them  in  the  vat.^ 
Any  substance  that  dies  brown  may  be  equally 
made  use  of  for  these  colours,  and  some  give  tha_ 
shade  required  better  than,  others. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 


or  THE  MIXTURE  OF  BLUE  AND  BLACK. 

NO  particular  shade  arises  from  this  mixture, 
except  by  the  mixture  of  blue  and  grey,  (which 
are  shades  of  the  black).  In  this  case  the  blue 
must  not  be  very  deep,  and  is  afterwards  worked 
the  same  as  the  black,  excepting  that  the  colour 
not  being  so  dark  less  copperas  enters  in  ; but  I 
repeat  again  that  this  colour  ought  only  to  be  es- 


17^ 


teefned  a shade  of  the  black.  Thus  it  may  be 
said  that  no  shades  are  made  from  blue  and  black 
used  by  themselves,  and  very  few  from  blue  and 
brown. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


OF  THE  MIXTURE  OF  RED  AND  YELLOW. 

FROM  scarlet  of  pjrain  or  kermes  and  theyel- 
low  are  formed  the  aurora,  the  marigold,  and  the 
orange.  The  wool  is  first  boiled  in  alum  and  tar- 
tar, and  died  in  one  of  these  colours,  and  then 
dipped  in  the  second,  or  by  mixing  in  the  same  li- 
quor the  kermes,  the  weld,  the  savory,  &c.  and  so 
dieing  it  at  once.  Yet  it  is  easier  to  attain  the  ex- 
act shades  by  dieing  it  at  twice  ; for  this  reason, 
the  wool  or  the  stuff  may  be  alternately  passed  in 
the  one  or  other  liquor,  till  it  be  precisely  of  the 
desired  colour. 

The  lobster  and  pomegranate  colours  are  done 
exactly  as  scarlet  is,  that  is,  boiled  with  cream  of 
tartar,  cochineal,  and  the  composition,  after 
whcih  they  are  taken  ? out,  aired  and  washed. 
For  the  finishing,  a fresh  liquor  is  prepared  as  for 
the  scarlet,  but  without  cochineal ; in  its  stead,  a 
little  yellow  wood  ground  substituted  ; this  de- 
pends on  the  colour  the  stuff  is  intended  to  be  of. 
The  more  it  borders  on  the  orange,  the  more  yel- 
low wood  is  added,  diminishing  the  quantity  of 
the  cochineal. 

I endeavoured  to  make  this  colour  after  three 

different  methods,  and  succeeded  in  all ; the  first 


177 


2s  that  which  1 have  described  : the  second  is  by 
putting  fustic  instead  of  yellow  wood,  and  this 
saves  a great  deal  of  cochineal, and  the  shade  of  the 
fustic  is  a great  deal  more  on  the  orange  than  the 
yellow  wood,  but  these  ingredients  are  not  last- 
ing, and  ought  not  to  be  used  but  in  the  lesser  die. 
The  method  is  with  cochineal  alone,  by  augment- 
ing the  quantity  of  the  composition,  which  rous- 
es the  cochineal,  and  turns  it  to  orange  as  much  as 
is  desired  ; but  this  is  attended  with  very  great 
inconvenience.  1st,  The  colour  becomes  very 
expensive,because  it  requires  more  cochineal  than 
common  scarlet,  as  the  great  quantity  of  the  com- 
position, which  is  an  acid,  makes  it  lose  part  of  its 
ground.  2d,  For  the  same  reason  the  colour  al- 
ways looks  starved,  it  appears  as  if  the  cochineal 
had  been  spared,  the  composition  having  dissolv- 
ed part  of  it.  3d,  This  large  quantity  of  compo- 
sition hardens  the  wool,  and  makes  it  more  liable 
to  be  spotted  by  dirt  and  sharp  liquor,  and  conse- 
quently this  method  is  the  worst.  I mentioned 
that  the  inconveniency  of  the  second  was  using  the 
fustic,  which  is  a wood  forbid  in  the  good  die  ; 
consequently  the  first  ought  to  have  the  preference, 
if  it  give  the  lobster  colour  as  bright  as  the  se- 
cond. But  this  colour  made  by  the  yellow  wood 
has  not  all  the  solidity  that  might  be  desired,  as  I 
have  tried  by  exposing  it  to  the  sun  ; this  at  first 
appears  extraordinary,  since  the  ingredients  used 
have  all  the  solidity  possible.  But  the  reason  why 
they  are  not  so  good  in  the  present  case  is,  that 
the  cochineal  used  in  the  scarlet  composition  and 
the  cream  of  tartar  are  too  solid  ; thus  the  lobster 
colour  loses  nothing  in  the  air.  But  the  case  is 
Otherwise  with  the  yellow  wood,  though  it  be  very 


178 


lasting  on  the  wool  boiled  in  alum  and  tartar,  es- 
pecially when  a little  allum  is  added  to  the  liquor 
of  its  die  ; it  is  not  the  same  as  when  the  wool  or 
stuff  has  received  the  water  for  the  scarlet  prepa- 
ration in  which  no  alum  can  enter,  and  conse- 
quently when  these  sort  of  colours  are  exposed  to 
the  air,  they  sadden  in  a short  time,  that  is,  they 
lose  part  of  their  orange  colour,  produced  by  the 
mixture  of  the  yellow  with  the  red,  and  the  effect 
of  the  air  upon  this  colour  is  the  same,  though  it 
appears  different  from  that  on  all  others,  &c.  that 
it  commonly  turns  them  pale  ; yet  this  one  dark- 
ens and  browns  them  by  taking  away  part  of  its 
bright  orange.  For  it  is  demonstrated  by  several 
chymical  experiments,  that  there  is  a vitriolic  acid 
in  the  air  like  unto  that  which  may  be  extracted 
from  alum.  Now  if  a stuff  died  lobster  colour 
was  to  be  passed  through  alight  solution  of  alum, 
the  acid  of  the  salt  would  immediately  sadden  it, 
and  the  red  of  the  cochineal  would  eclipse  the 
orange  die  ; the  same  thing  must  then  happen 
when  such  a colour  is  exposed  to  the  air,  which 
is  impregnated  with  the  same  acid. 

Very  few  shades  are  made  from  the  crimson 
and  yellow,  because  of  the  price  of  the  first,  and 
that  pretty  near  the  same  shades  are  made  with 
madder  and  kermes,  yellow  and  half  scarlet  of 
grain,  as  well  as  from  the  yellow  and  half  crimson. 
It  is  with  these  different  mixtures,  that  marigold, 
orange,  gold  yellow,  and  other  like  shades  are 
made,  which  are  simply  produced  by  the  mixture 
of  the  yellow  and  red,  and  sometimes  by  yellow 
alone. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


OF  THE  MIXTURE  OF  RED  AND  BROWN. 

THE  reds  of  the  kermes  and  cochineal  are  not 
used  in  this  mixture,  for  madder  has  as  good  an 
effect  on  those  which  cannot  become  bright  be- 
cause of  the  dark  obscure  colour  of  the  browm, 
but  after  they  are  maddered,  they  are  dipt  in  the 
old  liquors  of  cochineal  or  kermes  ; yet  a liquor 
in  those  ingredients  is  seldom  purposely  prepared, 
being  too  dear  for  such  common  colours  which 
are  as  easily  made  with  madder.  The  stuff  is  to 
be  boiled  wdih  a quantity  of  alum  and  tartar,  pro- 
portioned to  the  red  shade  of  madder  intended  ; 
it  is  then  passed  through  a liquor  of  this  root,  and 
afterwards  dipped  and  worked  in  a liquor  ofw’al- 
nut  roots  or  walnut  rinds  ; the  following  colours 
will  be  produced,  viz.  cinamon,  tobacco,  chesnut, 
musk,  bear’s  hair,  and  numberless  others,  by  va- 
rying the  ground  of  the  madder  from  the  brown- 
est to  the  lightest,  and  keeping  them  longer  or 
shorter  in  the  liquor  of  the  root.  The  process 
may  begin  within  any  one  of  these  colours,  but 
the  red  is  commonly  died  first,  as  the  liquor  proper 
for  the  madder  might  hurt  the  brown,  therefore 
they  are  not  to  be  mixt  as  the  red  and  yellow^  are 
sometimes. 


180 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


OF  THE  MIXTURE  OF  YELLOW  AND  BROWN. 

FROM  this  mixture  are  produced  the  shades 
of  feulemort  and  bears  hair. 

Soot  is  commonly  used  in  these  colours  instead 
of  the  rinds  of  walnuts,  or  the  root  of  the  walnut 
tree,  as  it  makes  them  finer,  but  care  must  be 
taken  that  the  wool  or  stuff  be  well  scoured  after 
it  is  died,  to  take  off  the  bad  smell  of  the  liquor  ; 
for  only  the  clear  liquor  of  the  soot  is  to  be  used, 
as  has  already  been  said.  The  walnut  rinds  are 
preferable  to  the  soot,  unless  obliged  to  match  a 
pattern  of  feulemort  with  the  greatest  exactness, 
and  which  may  sometimes  be  done  with  the  wal- 
nut. 

These  are  the  only  two  browns  resulting  from 
these  shades,  the  sumach  and  the  alder  bark  not 
giving  sufficient  ground. 

Wool  must  be  boiled  in  alum  and  tartar  to  die 
it  yellow  before  it  is  made  brown  ; but  if  it  should 
not  have  a sufficient  ground  of  yellow,  it  might 
be  passed  afresh  through  the  yellow  die,  notwiih- 
standing  it  has  been  browned,  though  in  fact  this 
method  of  seeking  exactly  the  shade  does  not  make 
so  lasting  a colour  as  when  the  yellow  was  at  first 
sufficiently  died  ; for  when  the  yellow  is  died  first, . 
the  brown  is  a great  deal  bright^er. 


181 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


OF  THE  MIXTURE  OF  BROWN  AND  BLACK, 

FROM  this  mixture  a great  number  of  colours 
may  be  extracted,  as  coffee,  chesnut,  prune,  musk, 
thorn  and  several  like  shades,  whose  numbers  are 
almost  infinite,  and  of  great  use.  The  method 
of  working  them  is  this  : 

After  the  wool  or  stuffs  have  been  made  brown, 
as  already  described,  and  that  several  shades  have 
previously  been  given  ; as  for  example,  a stronger 
brown  for  the  coffee,  chcsnut,  &c.  galls,  sumach, 
and  elder  bark  are  put  into  a copper  in  proportion 
to  the  quantities  of  stuff  to  be  died  ; the  whole  is 
boiled  for  one  hour,  after  which  green  copperas  is 
to  be  added.  I'he  stuffs  that  are  to  be  lightest, 
as  the  thorn,  are  first  dipped  in  this  liquor,  then 
taken  out,  and  others  that  are  to  be  browner  are 
put  in,  observing  to  add  copperas  to  the  liquor 
each  time,  and  as  occasion  may  require,  which 
is  known  by  its  not  browning  tlie  stuff  quickly, 
thus  continuing  until  all  the  stuffs  are  browned  ; 
the  liquor  must  not  boil,  nor  be  of  a greater  de- 
gree ^ heat  than  the  hand  can  bear. 

When  the  galls  and  other  ingredients  are  boil- 
ed,  cold  water  is  added  to  refresh  the  liquor  before 
the  stuff  is  put  in  : this  is  a precaution  that  is  ab- 
solutely necessary,  as  I have  often  said.  The 
stuffs  arc  first  to  be  dipped  in  lukc  warm  water 
before  they  are  put  into  the  copper,  lest  since  they 
were  browned  they  should  have  dried  ; and  they 


182 


must  be  aired  when  they  have  remained  some  time 
in  the  browning,  by  passing  them  between  the 
hands  by  the  lists,  without  which  they  would  per- 
haps spoil,  blot,  and  be  unequally  died,  and  the 
brown,  for  want  of  airing,  would  not  be  lasting,  , 
as  there  would  not  be  a successive  congelation  of 
the  saline  parts  of  the  vitriol. 

1 have  now  shown  all  the  necessary  colours  or  j 
shades  w'hich  may  be  produced  by  the  mixture  i 
of  the  primitive  colours  taken  two  by  two,  and  j 
• have  given  a minute  description  both  of  their  ef-  I 
fects  and  the  method  of  producing  them.  There 
being  but  few  colours  which  may  not  be  greatly 
varied,  it  depends  on  the  judgment  of  the  dier  to 
choose  the  easiest,  provided  the  colour  be  equally  | 
fine. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


OF  THE  MIXTtTRE  OF  THE  PRIMITIVE  COLOURS,  ! 

TAKEN  THREE  BY  THREE. 

FROM  blue,  red,  and  yellow,  the  red  olives  ^ 
and  greenish  greys  are  made,  and  some  other  like  I 
shades  of  little  use  only  for  spun  wool  designed  I 
for  tapestry.  It  would  be  a repetition  to  give  j 
the  method  of  using  these  colours,  having  suffi-  | 
ciently  explained  it  in  the  preceding  pages.  j 

In  the  mixture,  where  blue  is  a shade,  it  isusu-  i 
al  to  begin  with  it ; the  stuff  is  afterward  boiled  i 
to  give  it  the  other  colours,  in  which  it  is  dipped 
alternately  one  after  the  other ; notwithstanding 
tliey  are  sometimes  mixed  together,  and  are 


183 


as  good,  provided  they  are  colours  which  require 
the  same  preparation  ; for  example,  the  madder- 
red  and  the  yellow*  As  to  the  cochineal  and  kcrmes 
they  are  seldom  used  in  these  common  colours, 
but  only  light  colours  which  have  a bloom  or  vi- 
nous hue,  and  which  must  be  bright  and  brilliant, 
and  then  they  are  not  used  in  the  last  liquor,  that 
is,  the  stuff  is  only  dipped  in  when  it  has  receiv- 
ed the  other  colours,  unless  they  are  to  be  greyed 
a little,  which  is  lastly  done  by  passing  them 
through  the  browning.  It  is  impossible  to  give 
any  precise  rules  for  this  work,  and  the  least  prac- 
tice of  these  rules  will  teach  more  than  I could  say 
in  many  volumes. 

Olives  are  made  from  blue,  red,  and  brown, 
from  the  deepest  to  the  lightest,  and  by  giving  a 
little  shade  of  red,  the  slated  greys,  the  lavender 
greys,  and  such  like. 

^ From  the  blue,  the  red,  and  the  black,  an  infi- 
nite number  of  greys  of  all  shades  are  made,  as  the 
sage  grey, the  pigeon  grey,  the  slate  grey,  the  lead 
grey,  the  king’s  and  prince’s  colour,  browner  than 
usual,  and  a variety  of  other  colours  almost  in- 
numerable. 

From  ydlow,  blue,  and  brown,  are  made  the 
greens,  goose  dung,  and  olives  of  all  kinds. 

From  brown,  blue,  and  black,  are  produced  the 
brown  olives  and  the  green  greys. 

From  the  red,  yellow,  and  brown,  proceed  the 
oraijge,  gold  colour,,  marigold,  feuleraort,  old 
carnations,  burnt  cinnamon,  and  tobacco  of  all 
kinds. 

From  the  red,  yellow,  and  black  pretty  near  the 
same  as  the  last,  and  the  deep  feulemort  ; as  also 
the  ox  hair  and  brov;n  nut,  and  others  of  the  like 

kind- 


184 


I give  this  list  of  colours  only  as  a table  to  show 
in  general  what  ingredients  are  made  use  of  to  make 
these  sort  of  colours,  which  also  partake  of  several 
others. 

Four  or  five  of  these  colours  may  be  mixed  to- 
gether ; however  this  is  rarely  done  ; a minute 
detail  on  this  subject  would  be  useless,  because 
all  that  may  be  done  is  oftentimes  superfluous.  ^ 
shall  now  only  relate  the  manner  in  which  I have 
seen  about  forty  different  shades  of  carnations 
made  in  spun  wool ; this  example  will  show  what 
may  be  done  in  all  other  cases.  There  were  none 
of  those  bright  shades  of  scarlet  in  these  which  are 
made  as  in  the  chapter  oa  that  colour. 

Variety  of  Carnation  colour 

All  these  flesh  or  carnations  were  old  carnations, 
or  shades  of  it,  so  that  they  were  all  obliged  to  be 
taken  from  the  mixture  of  the  red  of  kermes,  yel- 
lovv»  brown,  and  Iflack. 

An  unequal  preparation  was  first  given  to  the 
wool,  reserving  for  the  lighter  shades  those  whose 
preparing  liquors  had  been  weakest.  When  they 
had  remained  as  usual  four  or  five  days  in  the  li- 
quor, the  lighter  shades  were  died  ; these  colours 
were  disposed  in  four  different  vessels,  which 
were  always  kept  sufficient!)  hot  without  boiling. 
A skain  of  w’  )ol  was  immediately  dipped  in  the 
liquor  of  the  kermes  for  a minute,  it  was  taken 
out,  wrung,  and  passed  through  a liquor  of  weld, 
and  an  instant  after  through  a brown  one,  and  it 
became  of  the  colour  required  by  the  dier  ; he 
immediately  dipped  another,  which  remained  a lit- 
tle longer  in  each  liquor  : he  went  on  after  this 


manner,  and  when,  after  being  strongly  wrung, 
and  sec  med  to  want  a little  rt  d or  any  other  col- 
our, he  dipped  it  in  the  liquor  which  it  appeared 
to  want.  By  tnis  nitihod  he  brought  all  his  col- 
ours to  the  desired  shade,  and  passed  ihrough  ihe 
brown  those  that  were  required  to  be  deeper.  I 
was  fully  persuaded  by  this  method  of  working, 
that  only  patience  and  practioe  were  wanting  to 
make  all  the  colours  which  can  be  conceived. 

Too  much  cauth’n  cannot  be  given  in  this  kind 
of  work,  to  begin  abvays  with  the  lightest  shades  j 
for  it  often  happens  that  they  arc  kept  too  long  in 
some  of  these  iiquots,  and  then  that  skain  must 
be  made  into  a darker  shjde.  But  when  once  the 
lighter  shades  are  matched,  and  in  a right  degra- 
dation, the  rest  are  easily  made. 

What  1 iiave  been  speaking  of,  relates  only  to 
v/ooi  intended  for  tapestry,  when  it  is  necessary 
that  the  shades  be  carried  on  with  the  greatest 
degree  of  precision,  without  which  it  would  be 
iinpossibletu  imitate  the  flesh  colours  of  the  painter. 

With  regard  to  stuffs,  it  seldom  or  never  hap- 
pens that  they  are  made  in  these  gradations  of 
shades,  or  that  so  many  colours  are  mixed  togeth- 
er ; two  or  three  arc  generally  sufficient,  since  it 
has  been  shown  what  a variety  of  colours  arose, 
from  their  combination,  that  even  names  cannot 
be  found  for  them. 

I think  I have  omitted  nothing  regarding  the 
dicing  of  wool  or  woollen  stuffs  in  the  great  and 
good  die,  and  I make  no  doubt  but  that  by  exact- 
ly following  what  I have  laid  down,  tach  colour 
and  all  the  shades  maybe  exeegted  to  the  greatest 
perfection,  as  well  in  fleece  wool,  spun  wool,  as  or. 
stuffs  manufactured  in  white. 

Q2 


18d 


I think  it  yet  necessary  to  add  something  in  re- 
gard to  mixed  stuffs,  that  is,  whose  wool  is  mixed 
before  the  manufacturing  of  the  stuff,  and  to  teach 
the  method  by  which  this  mixture  of  died  wool 
is  performed,  to  be  afterwards  carded  and  spun 
to  form  a colour  resulting  from  those  different 
wools. 

It  may  be  objected,  that  this  article  rather  re- 
lates to  the  manufacturing  of  stuffs  than  their  dies; 
but  to  this  1 answer,  that  sometimes  colours  are 
made  by  mixing  wool  of  different  shades,  whose 
colours  would  not  easily  be  imitated  by  dying  the 
stuff  of  a compound  colour  ; some  of  these  dif- 
ferent shades  composedof  ingredients  which  would 
require  a different  preparation  ; whereas  by  dic- 
ing ever}  part  of  the  wool  separately,  the  mixture 
is  made  without  any  difficulty  ; it  cannot  there- 
fore be  improper  .here  to  give  the  manner  of  mix- 
ing  together  wool  of  different  colours,  and  I shall 
also  give  the  man  net  of  making  mixtures  for  an 
essay  or  proof  in  small,  (which  is  always  nectssa- 
ty)  to  choose  that  which  produces  the  most  agree- 
able effect. 


CHAPTER  XXYIL 


OF  THE  MANNER  OF  MIXING  WOOL  OF  DIF- 
FERENT COLOUBS  FOR  CLOTHS  OR 
MIXED  COLOURS. 


Colours  mixed  in  the  Loom, 

ONE  example  of  the  method  of  mixing  (after 
the  most  exact  manner  possible)  wool  of  different 
colours,  will  be  sufficient,  and  it  will  be  easily  ap- 
plied in  ail  other  cases  required.  Suppose  a mix- 
ed cloth  of  a coffee  colour  to  be  made,  the  follow- 
ing is  the  method  of  the  manufacturers  of  Lan- 
guedoc, and  pretty  near  the  same  is  practised  in 
all  other  manufactories. 

Three  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  wool  are  first 
died  coffee  colour,  which  is  called  the  ground 
wool,  that  is,  that  which  prevails  in  the  stuffs  ; af- 
ter which  are  taken  five  pounds  of  wool  died  in 
madder  red  or  kermes,  and  two  pounds  died  in 
king’s  blue  ; ihese  last  are  called  the  wool  of  mix- 
ture. This  wool  is  distributed  to  diff  rent  per- 
sons placed  in  a ring  in  a large  room.  The  factor, 
or  he  that  has  the  care  of  the  mixture,  stands  with 
a stick  in  his  hand  in  the  centre  of  this  circle,  the 
men  being  at  six  feet  distance  from  him  ; eight 
or  ten  arc  generally  employed  at  this  work,  and  all 
the  wool  is  given  to  them.  In  the  present  case^ 
for  example,  six  will  be  employed  in  bearing  the 
prevailing  wool  or  coffee  colour,  one  the  blue. 


and  another  the  red  ; but  they  must  be  so  situat- 
ed that  there  may  be  three  together  who  have  the 
cofiee  coloured  wool,  then  he  that  has  the  red, 
then  three  with  the  cofiee  colour,  and  lastly  he 
that  has  the  blue.  When  there  is  a greater  num- 
ber of  colours,  they  are  thus  equally  distributed^ 
observing  to  divide  them  as  much  as  possible, 
the  one  from  the  other. 

The  men  thus  disposed  walk  slowly  round  the 
factor,  keeping  an  equal  distance,  and  each  step 
they  take  they  cast  at  the  feet  of  the  factor  a small 
lock  of  the  wool  they  carry,  with  this  difference, 
that  those  that  have  the  red  or  the  blue,  having  but 
a small  quantity  to  distribute,  fling  but  little  each 
time,  whereas  the  others  must  fling  much  more. 
The  factor  stirs  the  wool  with  his  stick  whilst 
the  men  are  flinging  it,  and  that  the  mixture 
should  be  perfect,  they  must  ail  have  distrib- 
uted  their  wool  at  one  and  the  same  time.  The 
factor  then  mixes  it  again,  and  gives  it  to  the  car- 
ders. 

The  carding  makes  a perfect  mixture,  so  that 
no  particular  colour  is  to  be  distinguished,  and  it 
appears  of  one  uniform  colour  ; it  is  afterwards 
spun,  the  cloth  manufactured  and  brought  to  the 
mill.  The  importance  of  this  mixture  being  ex- 
actly made  is  easily  conceived,  for  if  these  colours 
were  unequally  distributed,  the  cloth  would  ap- 
pear full  of  blots. 

As  in  the  composition  of  these  mixtures  it  is 
not  possible  to  judge  exactly  of  the  efiect  which 
may  be  produced  by  the  combination  of  all  these 
colours  in  difierent  proportions^  I shall  give  a meth- 
od of  mciking  a proof  in  small,  that  a colour  form- 
after  this  manner  by  a known  proportional 


189 


mixture,  it  may  be  executed  in  great,  and  be  cer- 
tain that  the  colour  of  the  stuff'  will  be  equal  to 
that  of  the  pattern. 

CHAPTER  XXVm. 


OP  THE  METHOD  OF  PREPARING  IHE  PAT- 

TERN  FELTS,  OR  MIXTURE  FOR  AN  ESSAY. 

THIS  little  work  is  very  simple  and  very 
useful,  as  it  will  show  in  an  hour  what  a mixt  cloth 
will  be  after  it  is  manufactured^  and  even  when  it 
is  entirely  dressed.  For  this  purpose,  wool  of 
different  colours  are  taken,  and  alter  having  weigh- 
ed each  exactly,  the  mixture  is  made  whh  the 
fingers  in  the  proportion  which  is  judged  suffi- 
cient, but  the  whole  in  a very  small  quantity  ; so 
that  the  mixture  being  made,  it  may  not  exceed 
the  bigness  of  the  fist.  This  wool  is  then 
moistened  with  a little  oil,  and  carded  several 
times  with  small  cards,  till  all  these  colours  are 
well  incorporated  together  and  perfectly  well  mix- 
ed. This  wool,  which  is  extremely  open  and  of 
the  square  form  of  the  card,  is  folded  four  times, 
and  gently  pressed  between  the  h mds.  It  is  then 
plunged  into  a strong  soap  wxUer,  and  putting  it 
again  between  the  hands,  it  is  strongly  pressed  at 
different  times,  striking  sometimes  one  hand  on 
the  other.  It  is  then  gently  rubbed  betu  ixt  the 
two  hands,  which  hardens  the  wool  by  contracting 
it  all  manner  of  ways,  and  making  it  occupy  less 
space.  It  is  then  dipped  <>gain  in  the  soap  water, 
and  continued  to  be  felted,  until  it  has  acquii  ed 


190 


some  consistence,  and  that  it  becomes  like  felt  ! 
and  pretty  near  the  same  consistence  as  the  com- 
mon cloth.  This  felt  is  then  a true  copy  of  what  ‘ 
the  cloth  will  be  after  its  manufacturing ; for 
when  it  has  been  well  felted,  that  is,  that  the  wool 
has  been  equally  and  carefully  extended  under  j 
the  hand  coming  from  the  card,  it  is  as  equal  and  i 
as  smooth  as  the  cloth  itself  can  be.  To  finish  it  | 
also  as  perfectly  as  the  cloth,  after  it  has  been 
washed  to  take  off  the  soap,  it  is  dried  and  put 
between  two  papers,  and  pressed  with  an  iron 
somewhat  hot  : by  this  means  it  acquires  a lustre  i 
which  makes  it  appear  like  a cloth  which  has  been  j 
entirely  dressed.  ' 

If  the  colour  of  the  felt  is  approved  of,  the 
mixture  in  great  is  made  for  the  cloth,  by  follow- 
ing the  same  proportions  exactly,  and  it  will  cer-. 
tainly  be  like  the  pattern,  for  not  only  the  wool 
of  different  colours  are  as  entirely  mixed  and 
closed  one  to  the  other  in  the  felt  as  in  the  cloth, 
but  the  soap  which  has  been  made  use  of  to  felt 
it,  has  produced  the  same  effect  as  that  which 
happens  to  the  cloth  in  the  fulling  mill,  for  there 
are  several  colours  and  particularly  those  that  have 
been  browned,  that  is,  in  whose  compositions 
there  are  shades  of  black  and  grey,  which  lose  in 
the  mill  part  of  :heir  browning,  so  that  it  must 
alwa}  s be  died  of  a deeper  colour  than  intended 
to  be  after  finishing  : this  defect  of  solidity  in  tiie 
browning  does  not  hinder  it  from  standing  very 
w^ell  the  action  of  the  air,  but  it  is  easily  spotted 
by  acid  liquors,  as  has  been  before  said.  The 
colours  that  have  been  saddened  in  the  woad  or 
indigo  vat  are  not  liable  to  this,  they  scarce  lose 
any  thingin  the  mill.  The  felt  produces  the  same 


151 


efFect,  and  it  is  certain  that  the  stiiiF  will  not  lose 
more  in  great  at  the  mill  than  the  felt  did  with 
soap  ; consequently  this  preliminary  operation  of 
the  felt  may  be  looked  upon  as  a sure  guide  for 
the  choice  and  assortment  of  wool  in  mixt  cloths. 

These  patterns  are  made  still  better  with  black 
soap,  but  it  gives  them  a . disagreeable  smell, 
which  is  not  easily  taken  off  by  repeated  wash- 
ings. 

The  felts,  when  made,  may  be  died  for  stuffs, 
in  which  it  is  required  that  one  colour  should  cov- 
er the  other,  for  then,  after  the  stuff  should  have 
been  mixed  with  the  same  colours  as  the  felt,  it 
might  be  di|)ped  in  the  same  die  through  which 
that  had  been  passed,  and  by  this  means  it  w’ould 
be  of  the  same  colour  as  the  felt  , but  this  is  not 
to  be  done  to  the  stuff  till  it  comes  from  the  mill, 
has  been  sheered,  and  nothing  remains  but  to  dress 
it.  This  method  will  be  of  great  use  when  it  is 
a mixed  cloth  in  which  cochineal  has  been  used, 
for  it  saddens  too  much  and  spoils  at  the  mill ; so 
that  when  it  is  used  in  mixed  stuffs,  a fresh  liquor 
must  be  made,  in  which  the  cloth  must  be  dipped, 
when  it  requires  no  more  dressing  than  that  which 
is  given  to  cloth  died  white  after  it  is  come  out  of 
the  die. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


POLISH  RED. 

BEFORE  I enter  upon  the  colours  of  the  lesser 
die,  1 shall  give  the  process  of  a very  excellent 
colour,  called  Polish  red. 


192 


If  yon  would  die  forty  pounds  of  wool  this  bright 
and  lK;Idlng  colour,  boil  ten  pounds  of  nut  galls, 
in  a copper  sufficiently  large,  an  hour  and  a half  ; 
then  cool  the  liquor  witir  cold  water  about  ten  de- 
grees uiider  a boiling  heat,  because  the  madder 
sl  ould  not  boil,  and  add  best  madder  in  propor- 
tion to  the  shade  required,  from  fourteen  to  twen- 
ty pounds.  Work  these  ingredients  with  the  wool 
for  two  hours  with  long  poles,  that  it  may  die  in 
all  parts  alike.  Rince  it  well,  and  you  have  the 
true  polish  red.  If  you  would  have  a dark  colour, 
use  a little  ashes.  Observe  to  have  the  wool  well 
scoured  This  process  will  hold  good  in  cloth 
and  other  things. 


193 


THE 


DIER’S  ASSISTANT. 

PART  II. 


CHAPTER  I. 


• F THE  DIEING  OF  WOOL  BY  THE  LESSER  Dl^ 

I OBSERVED  in  the  beginning  of  this  trea- 
tise, that  the  dicing  of  wool,  or  woollen  stuffs 
manufactured  from  it,  were  distinguished  b}^  the 
great  and  lesser  die.  The  French  regulations 
have  fixed  what  the  quality  of  the  wool  and  stufts 
are  to  be,  which  are  to  be  died  by  the  greater  or 
lesser  die.  This  distinction  has  been  founded  on 
this  principle,  that  stuffs  of  a certain  value,  and 
which  generally  constitute  the  upper  part  of  cloth- 
ing, should  receive  a more  solid  and  lasting  col- 
our than  stuffs  of  a low  price, . which  w’ould  be 
dearer  and  become  less  saleable,  were  they  oblig- 
ed to  be  died  by  the  good  die,  as  the  good  die  is 
a great  deal  more  expensive  than  the  lesser,  a^nd 
that  stuffs  of  low  price,  which  arc  permitted  to  be 
died  by  the  lesser  die,  are  generally  used  to  make' 

R 


194 


linings,  so  that  they  are  little  exposed  to  the  action 
of  the  air,  and  if  they  are  put  to  other  uses  they 
are  soon  worn  out,  on  account  of  the  weakness 
of  their  texture  ; and  consequently  there  is  none, 
cessity  for  their  colours  being  so  lasting  as  that  of 
a stuff  of  a much  longer  duration. 

I have  related  in  the  preceding  treatise,  wdth 
the  greatest  exactness  and  precision  in  my  power, 
the  method  of  executing  by  the  good  die  all  ima- 
ginable colours  ; I shall  do  the  same  in  that  which 
concerns  the  lesser  die,  and  shall  lay^  down  the 
method  of  making  the  same  colours  with  other 
ingredients  than  I have  hitherto  spoken  of,  and 
which  though  they  have  not  the  solidity  of  the 
first,  often  have  the  advantage  of  yielding  more 
lively  colours  ; besides  which,  the  greater  part 
give  a smoother  colour,  and  are  worked  with 
greater  facility  than  the  ingredients  of  the  good 
die. 

These  are  the  advantages  of  these  substances 
which  are  called  false  ingredients,  and  though  it 
is  to  be  wished  that  their  use  was  not  so  general, 
it  must  be  agreed  that  they  have  their  utility  for 
stuffs  less  exposed  to  the  air,  or  whose  colour 
dots  not  stand  in  need  of  a long  duration.  I 
might  also  add  that  the  colours  are  most  com- 
monly sorted  with  greater  ease,  and  with  more 
expedition,  in  the  lesser  die  than  can  be  done  in 
the  great. 

I shall  not  follow  the  same  order  for  this  kind 
of  die  as  J did  for  the  good,  since  in  this  no  pri- 
mary colours  are  known.  Few  serve  as  a ground 
for  others  ; the  greatest  part  do  not  arise  frr-m  a 
combination  of  two  or  several  simple  colours. 
In  short,  there  are  colours,  such  as  tlie  blue,  &c. 


195 


which  are  seldom  or  never  made  in  the  lesser 
die. 

This  is  the  order  which  I propose  to  follow, 
and  shall  first  set  forth  the  names  of  all  the  ingre- 
dients which  particularly  belong  to  the  lesser  die, 
and  then  give  the  method  of  using  each  of  these 
ingredients,  and  the  extraction  of  all  the  colours 
they  can  yield.  It  will  be  found  that  several  of 
these  ingredients  produce  similar  colours,  so  that 
it  would  have  been  impossible  to  have  treated  of 
them  separately,  without  tiring  the  reader  with  te- 
dious and  troublesome  repetitions. 

The  ingredients  are  flock  or  goat’s  hair  mad- 
dered,  archil,  logwood,  brasil,  fustic,  roncou, 
grains  of  Avignon^  turmeric,  or  terra  merrita.  I 
shall  not  here  speak  of  the  sanders  or  soot,  though 
these  ingredients  particularly  belong  to  the  lesser 
die  ; 1 have  already  given  the  manner  of  using 
these  last. 


CHAPTER  II. 


OF  THE  niEING  OF  FLOCK  OR  COAT’S  HAIR. 

THERE  are  two  preparations  very  diiferent 
one  from  the  other  in  the  dieing  of  flock  ; the 
first  is  with  madder,  and  belongs  to  the  great  and 
good  die  ; the  second  is  to  dissolve  it  arid  make 
use  of  it  ; this  belongs  to  the  lesser  die.  The  dic- 
ing with  flock  was  formerly  permitted  in  the  good 
die,  but  was  rather  on  account  of  its  being  extract 
ed  from  madder,  than  by  any  experiment  that 
ha<}  been  made  concerning  its  durability.  I tried 


196 


it  with  great  attention,  and  found  it  beyond  any  | 
doubt  that  there  is  no  colour  that  resists  the  air  1 
less.  It  is  certainly  for  this  reason  that  it  was  re-  , 
strained  to  the  lesser  die  in  the  new  regulation  of  i 
France  in  1737.  Yet,  as  by  the  same  regulation, 
it  is  not  permitted  to  the  diers  of  the  lesser  die  to 
use  madder,  nor  even  to  keep  it  in  their  houses  ; 
it  has  been  enacted,  that  only  the  diers  of  the 
great  die  should  be  suffered  to  madder  flock,  , 
and  those  of  the  lesser  die  to  dissolve  and  use  i 
it. 

This  maddering  of  flock  ought  to  have  found  I 
a place  in  the  foregoing  treatise,  but  that  I chose 
rather  to  class  together  all  operations  that  have  any 
necessary  connection,  than  to  stick  too  scrupulous* 
ly  to  that  distinction  of  the  great  and  lesser  die, 
which  is  the  particular  object  of  the  civil  govern, 
ment  of  that  art,  and  which  upon  some  occasions 
might  have  made  me  fall  into  some  obscurities,  or 
run  into  continual  repetitions  ; besides,  the  gov- 
ernment of  dicing  is  not  the  art  considered  in  it- 
selfl 

To  madder  the  flock  or  Goat’s  hair,  four  pounds 
of  either  of  them  is  cut  and  well  separated,  that 
the  die  may  penetrate  the  better.  It  is  boiled 
two  hours  in  a sufficient  quantity  of  sour  water  ; 
then  it  is  drained  for  an  hour,  and  put  into  a mid- 
dling copper,  half  filled  with  water,  with  four 
pounds  of  roach  alum,  two  pounds  of  red  tartar, 
and  one  pound  of  madder.  The  whole  is  boiled 
for  six  hours,  putting  in  hot  water  as  the  liquor 
wastes  ; it  is  left  ail  r.ight  and  next  day  in  this  li- 
quor ; the  third  day  it  is  taken  out  and  drained 
in  a basket.  Some  diers  let  it  remain  eight  days, 
but  it  often  happens  that  by  this  delay  in  a copper 


m 


vessel  it  is  tarnished  by  the  liquors  corroding  a part 
of  the  copper  ; a middling  copper  is  then  filled 
to  the  two  thirds  with  half  sour  water,  and  half 
common  water  and  when  theliqouris  ready  to  boil, 
eight  pounds  of  madder,  well  cut  and  crushed  be- 
tween the  hands,  is  added.  When  the  madder 
is  well  mixed  in  the  liquor,  four  pounds  of  flock 
or  hair  is  put  in  and  boiled  for  six  hours  ; it  is 
then  well  washed,  and  the  next  day  it  is  madder- 
ed  a second  time  alter  the  same  manner,  only 
putting  in  four  pounds  of  madder  instead  of 
eight,  which  were  before  used.  After  this  se^ 
cond  maddermg,  it  is  well  washed  and  dried  ; it 
is  then  almost  black  and  fit  for  use. 

It  appears  by  this  operation,  that  four  pounds 
of  flock  or  hair  is  loaded  with  thirteen  pounds  of 
the  die  of  madder,  yet  there  still  remains  some 
die  in  the  liquor,  which  is  then  called  an  old  mad- 
dering,  and  uhich  is  preserved  for  use  on  certaia 
occasions,  as  in  tobacco,  cinnamon  colour,  and 
several  others. 

Wh  en  the  flock  is  thus  maddered  by  the  diec 
of  the  great  die  he  sells  it  to  diers  of  the  lesser^ 
who  have  then  the  iiloerty  to  dissolve  and  use  it  ; 
this  is  the  common  method,  which  has  many  dif- 
ficuliies,  and  is  known  but  to  few  diers.  The 
madder  is  hereby  made  fine. 

About  half  an  hour  after  seven  in  the  mornings 
six  pails  full  of  clear  water  are  put  into  a middling 
copper,  and  when  the  water  is  luke-warm,  five 
pounds  ot  pearl  ashes  are  put  in  *,  the  whole 
boiled  till  eleven,  and  the  liquor  is  then  consider- 
ably diminished,  so  to  be  held  in  a lesser  cop- 
per, into  which  it  is  emptied,  observing  first  to 
kt  the  dregs  of  the  pearl-ashes  subside,  that  none 
but  the  clear  may  be  used. 

K 2 


198 


A pail  full  of  this  liquor  is  afterwards  put  into 
the  middling  copper,  having  first  scoured  it  well, 
and  a little  fire  made  under  it  ; the  four  pounds 
of  maddered  flock  are  scattered  in  by  degrees, 
and  at  the  same  time  a little  of  the  luke-warm  and  , 
saline  liquor  of  the  small  copper  is  added  to  keep 
down  the  boiling,  which  rises  from  time  to  time 
to  the  top  of  the  copper,  in -which  the  operation 
is  performing.  i 

When  all  the  flock  and  the  liquor  of  the  litt’e 
copper  are  put  into  the  middling  one,  a pail  lull 
of  clear  water  is  put  on  the  dregs  of  the  pearl-ash-  < 
es  remaining  in  the  little  copper,  'riiis  water  serves  i 
to  fill  the  middling  one  as  the  liqour  in  it  evap-  i 
orates.  All  this  flock  melts,  or  is  dissolved  by  ' 
the  action  of  the  pearl-ashes,  and  alter  the  first 
half  hour,  not  the  least  hair  is  to  be  perceived, 
the  liquor  is  then  of  a very  deep  red  The  whole  ’ 
is  then  boiled  without  any  addition,  till  three  in 
the  afternoon,  that  the  whole  dissolution  of  the 
flocks  may  be  the  more  exactly  performed.  Then 
a stick  is  placed  upon  the  copper,  and  upon  this 
stick  is  placed  a pail  of  fermented  urine,  in  which 
pail  a small  hole  has  been  previously  made  towards 
its  lower  part,  and  a little  straw  put  into  it,  that 
the  urine  may  very  slowly  run  into  the  copper  ; 
whilst  it  is  running,  the  liquor  is  made  to  boil 
strongly,  and  this  urine  m .kes  good  what  may  be 
lost  by  evaporation.  This  operation  continues 
five  hours,  during  w hich  time  three  pa  Is  full  of 
urine  are  discharged  into  the  copper,  being  made 
to  run  faster  when  the  boil  is  stronger,  than  when 
moderate.  It  is  here  to  be  observed,  that,  on  ac- 
count of  the  small  quantity  of  flock  in  the  exper- 
iment which  I lay  down  here,  five  pounds  only  of 


199 


pearl-ashes  are  ordered  ; for  when  thirty  pounds 
of  flock  are  dissoU  td  at  one  time,  which  is  the 
comiiion  custom  of  the  French  diers,  thev  jmt 
twelve  ounces  of  pearl  ashes  to  each  pound  of 
flock 

During  the  whole  time  of  this  operation,  a strong 
volatile  smell  of  urine  is  emitted,  and  there  swims 
on  the  suriace  of  liquor  a brown  scum,  but 
much  more  so  after  the  addition  of  the  urine. 
The  liquor  is  known  to  ne  sufficiently  done  when 
this  rises  no  more,  and  that  the  boil  rises  but 
genth  , that  is  what  happened  to  the  operation  now 
related,  at  eight  in  the  evening.  The  fire  is  then 
raked  out,  the  copper  covered,  and  thus  left  to  tlie 
next  day . Patterns  had  been  taken  at  different  times 
of  the  colours  of  the  liquor  from  three  to  eight 
in  the  evening,  by  dipping  in  small  pieces  of  pa- 
per ; the  first  were  very  brown,  and  they  became 
continually  lighter,  and  united  themselves  more 
and  more,  in  proportion  as  the  volatile  part  of  the 
urine  acted  on  the  colouring  parts  of  the  liquor. 

Nothing  now  remained  but  to  die  the  wool  in 
the  liquor  thus  prepared,  and  which  is  called 
melting  of  flock  ; this  is  the  easiest  work  belong- 
ing to  the  dier.  A quarter  of  an  hour  before  the 
dicing  is  begun,  a little  piece  of  very  clean  roach 
alum  is  put  in,  and  the  copper  is  well  rakt  d to 
melt  it.  As  this  liquor  which  was  in  the  mid- 
dling copper  had  been  covered  the  whole  night, 
and  the  fire  had  not  been  put  out,  the  licpior  was 
still  so  hotasnt  t to  suffer  the  hand.  TIk  dear- 
est  was  taken  out  and  brought  into  a small  copper, 
with  a sufficient  quantity  ol  lukewarm  v\  Jter\sume 
wool  died  yellow  with  weld  was  dipped  m it  ; it 
immedkieiy  became  of  a fine  orange,  Dordering 


200 


@n  the  flame  colour,  that  is  of  the  colour  called 
nacaret^  and  known  to  the  dkrs  by  the  name  of 
nacartt  of  Jiock^  because  it  is  commonly  made 
with  melted  Hock. 

T wenty  hanks  of  white  wool  were  dipped  one 
after  the  other  in  the  same  liquor,  beginning  by 
those  that  were  to  have  the  deepest  ground,  and 
leaving  them  longer  or  shorty  in  the  liquor  ac- 
cording to  the  shade  requir*  An  assortment 
was  made  after  this  manner  from  the  nacarer,  or 
bright  orange  red,  to  the  cherry  colour.  It  ought 
to  be  observed,  that  in  proportion  as  the  liquor 
was  consumed,  fresh  was  taken  from  the  middle 
sized  copper,  great  care  being  taken  not  to  stirtho 
sediment  at  the  bottom  ; a little  fire  was  also 
kept  under  the  small  copper,  to  kee[)  the  liquor 
always  in  the  same  degree  of  heat.  The  wool 
is  thus  dipped  until  the  whole  liquor  is  used,  and 
all  the  colour  drawn  out.  But  the  lighter  colours 
could  not  be  died  in  it  ; for  when  the  colour  of 
the  liquor  is  once  weakened,  as  it  ought  to  be  for 
these  colours,  it  is  generally  loaded  with  filth, 
which  would  take  off  the  brightness  required  in 
these  shades. 

The  following  is  the  method  of  making  shades 
lighter  than  the  cherry  colour.  A copper  is  filled 
with  clear  water,  and  five  or  six  hanks  of  wool 
died  of  the  deepest  die  from  the  fi  >ck,  that  is, 
from  the  shade  that  immediately  follows  the  na- 
caret,  are  put  in.  As  soon  as  the  water  boils,  it 
takes  out  all  ihe.colour  the  wool  had,  and  it  is  in 
this  fresh  liquor  that  the  other  wool  that  is  to  be 
died  is  dipped,  from  the  cherry  colour  to  the 
palest  flesh  colour,  observing  always  to  begin  by 
tiae  deepest  shades. 


201 


Most  of  the  diers  who  do  not  know  how  to  melt 
the  flock,  or  who  will  not  give  themselves  that 
trouble,  buy  some  pounds  of  this  scarlet  of  flock, 
which  they  use  after  this  manner,  to  make  all  the 
lighter  shades,  which,  as  has  been  said,  is  done 
with  mach  ease.  This  operation  shows  what 
little  dependance  can  be  put  on  the  solidity  of  a 
colour  that  passes  90  quickly  in  boiling  water. 
And  in  fact,  it  is  one  of  the  worst  colours  there 
is  in  dicing,  and  on  that  account  the  new  regu- 
lation has  taken  it  from  the  great  die,  and  per- 
mits it  in  the  lesser  for  the  reasons  above  men- 
tioned. 

■ Thus  a very  bad  colour  may  be  had  from  an 
ingredient  which,  of  all  those  that  are  used  in  dic- 
ing, is  perhaps  the  best  and  the  most  durable  ; yet 
when  this  hair,  died  wdth  all  the  necessary  precau- 
tions to  insure  the  colour  as  much  as  possible, 
comes  to  be  dissolved  or  melted  in  a liquor  of 
pearl-ashes,  its  colour,  by  acquiring  a new  lustre, 
loses  all  its  solidity,  and  can  only  be  ranked  in  the 
number  of  the  falsest  dies. 

It  may  appear  that  the  little  solidity  of  this  col- 
our proceeded  from  the  wool  having  no  prepara- 
tion, and  retaining  no  salt  before  its  being  dipped 
in  the  dissolved  flock  ; but  I found  that  this  was 
not  the  cause ; for  I dipped  in  this  liquor  wool  boil- 
ed as  usual,  and  other  wool  differently  prepared, 
without  finding  that  the  colour  of  the  latter  had 
acquired  any  more  solidity  ; the  lustre  was  less, 
that  is,  it  came  out  more  saddened  than  the  wool 
that  had  been  died  in  it  without  any  preparation. 

Though  I have  said  that  wool  receives  no  pre- 
paration before  its  being  died  in  a dissolution  of 
flock,  it  is  nevertheless  necessary  to  sulphur  those 


202 


that  are  to ‘make  clear  shades,  for  that  gives  them 
a great  brightness  and  lustre,  as  the  dissolved  flock 
is  applied  on  a ground  a great  deal  whiter  than  it 
Would  be  without  the  vapour  of  the  sulphur, 
which  cleanses  it  of  all  its  filth.  The  same  thing 
is  done  for  the  light  blues,  and  for  some  other 
colours ; hut  this  operation  is  seldom  made 
use  of  but  for  wool  intendqj|^  for  samples  or 
pestry. 

Sulphuring  of  Wool. 

The  diers  do  not  do  this,  because  of  the  stink 
of  the  sulphur,  or  rather  to  avoid  the  trouble. 
Nevertheless,  to  give  an  idea  of  it,  the  white  wool 
is  suspended  on  hoops  or  perches  in  a close  room, 
and  under  this  wool  chaffing  dishes  are  placed 
with  lighted  coals,  on  which  powdered  sulphur  is 
cast.  The  room  door  is  afterwards  shut,  that  the 
smoke  may  be  the  longer  retained  and  act  on  the 
wool,  which  is  to  remain  till  it  is  entirely  whiten- 
ed ; it  is  then  called  sulphured  wool ; and  this  is 
the  preparation  it  must  receive  to  give  a brightness 
to  the  rose,  cherry,  and  flesh  colours,  which  are 
made  from  the  dissolution  of  flocks. 

The  Theory  of  the  Dissokition  of  Flock. 

The  reason  why  from  an  ingredient,  such  as 
the  root  of  madder, perishable  colours  are  produc- 
ed from  dissolved  flock,  is  not  difficult  to  assign. 
In  the  first  operation  of  maddering  the  flock,  the 
red  of  the  madder  was  fixed  in  the  hair  by  the  pre- 
paration of  alum  and  tartar  as  much  as  possible, 
but  as  it  is  overloaded  with  this  colour,  it  is  ea- 


203 


sy  to  conceive  that  the  superfluous  colouring  at^ 
oms  being  only  applied  on  those  which  already 
filled  the  pores  of  this  hair,  these  alone  are  really 
retained  in  the  pores,  and  are  cemented  by  the 
salts.  The  hair  thus  reddened  by  the  madder  so 
as  to  become  almost  black,  would  lose  a great 
deal  of  the  intensity  of  its  colour,  il‘  it  was  boiled 
in  any  liquor,  was  it  even  common  water  ; but  to 
this  water,  pearl-ashes  are  added  in  equal  weight 
wkhth.e  flock  already  died,  which  is  to  be  melted 
in  it  ; consequently  there  is  a ver)  strong  iixivi- 
um  of  fixed  alkaline  salts  made.  I have  already 
said  in  am  ther  place,  in  the  foregoing  treatise, that 
very  strong  alkaline  ley  sdestroy  the  naturaltexture 
of  almost  all  animal  substances,  as  also  gums  and 
resins ; in  short,  that  an  alkaline  salt  is  their  dissol- 
vent. In  the  present  operation,  the  lixivium  or  the 
pearl-ashes  is  very  concentrated,  and  very  acrid, 
and  consequently  in  a state  to  melt  the  hair, which 
is  an  animal  substance,  which  it  does  very  quick, 
ly,  and  with  a strong  fermentation,  which,  shows 
itself  by  the  strong  and  violent  elevation  of  the  li- 
quor ; consequently  it  destroys  the  natural  text- 
ture  of  each  of  these  hairs,  and  the  sides  of  the 
pores  being  at  the  same  time  broken  and  reduced 
to  very  minute  parts,  these  sides  having  neither 
consistence  nor  spring  to  retain  these  salts, and  the 
colouring  particles  that  were  sticking  to  them. 
Therefore  the  animal  particles  of  the  hair,  the 
colouring  parts  of  the  madder,  the  saline  parts  of 
the  liquor,and  the  alkali  of  the  pearl  ashes,  are  all 
confounded  together,  and  form  a new  mixture 
which  cannot  afford  a lasting  die,  because  from 
these  saline  parts  mixed  together,  there  cannot  be 
foritied  a sufficient  quantity  of  salts  capable  of 


204 


chrystalization,  and  producing  moleculas,  which 
can  resist  cold  water  and  the  rays  of  the  sun.  In 
short,  it  could  not  form  a tartar  of  vitriol,  because 
the  alkaline  salt  is  in  too  great  a proportion. 

To  roLize  the  deep  and  overloaded  die  of  the 
madder  first  applied  on  the  flock,  and  after  coi\-, 
founded  by  the  melting  of  this  hair  in  the  mixture 
already  spoken  of,  pu trifled  urine  is  added  in  a 
considerable  quantity  ; this  is  a further  obstacle 
to  chrystalization  ; consequently  wool  not  pre- 
pared  by  other  salts,  and  dipped  in  a liquor  thus 
composed,  can  only  be  covered  by  a superficial 
colour,  which  finds  no  prepared  pores,  or  any 
thing  saline  in  those  pores,  which  may  cement  the 
colouring  atoms  ; therefore  such  a die  must  quit 
its  subject  on  the  least  effort  of  what  nature  soev- 
er it  be. 

But  wool  prepared  by  the  liquor  of  tartar  and 
alum,  does  not  take  a more  lasting  colour,  in  the 
liquor  of  the  melted  flock,  than  wool  not  prepared 
by  these  salts  ; fora  liquor  which  abounds  with 
fixed  alkaline  salts  attacks  the  tartar  left  of  the  pre- 
ceding preparation  in  the  pores  of  the  wool.  This 
tartar  changes  its  nature,  and  from  being  hard  to 
dissolve,  as  it  was  before,  it  becomes  a soluble 
tartar,  that  is,  a salt  that  dissolves  very  easily  in 
the  coldest  w'ater. 

It  may  perhaps  be  objected,  that  particles  of 
alum  remain  in  the  pores  of  the  prepared  wool,  • 
that  from  these  particles  of  alum,  as  well  as  from 
a portion  of  the  same  salt  which  is  put  into  the  li- 
quor, reddened  by  the  melting  of  the  flock,  the 
^kali  of  the  pearl-ashes  must  form  a tartar  of 
vitriol,  which,  according  to  my  principles,  ought 
to  secure  the  die. 


2.05 


To  this  I answer,  that  the  urine  hinders  the 
combination  of  these  two  salts,  which  is  neces- 
sary for  the  formation  of  the  tartar  of  vitriol  i 
if  even  this  hindrance  did  not  exist,  the  quanti- 
ty of  this  salt,  which  I have  named  /uird  in  an- 
other place,  could  not  be  sufficient  to  cement 
the  colour  in  the  pores  of  the  wool,  or  put  them 
in  a state  to  retain  the  colouring  atoms.  Fur- 
ther, the  sharpness  of  the  alkaline  salts  in  this 
liquor,  which  is  capable  of  entirely  dissolving 
the  hair  boiled  in  it,  would  equally  be  able  to 
dissolve  the  wool,  were  it  boiled  as  the  flock 
was.  But  yet,  though  a degree  of  heat  is  not 
given  to  the  liquor,  which  would  be  necessary 
for  this  total  destruction,  it  is  easily  conceived, 
that  if  the  sum  of  the  destroying  action  is  not  the 
same,  at  least  a part  exists,  which  is  still  sufficient 
to  corrode  the  sides  of  the  pores  of  the  wool,  to 
enlarge  them  greatly,  and  to  render  them  unfit 
to  retain  the  colouring  atoms  ; to  this  may  be  ad- 
ded, that  the  hair  is  melted  in  the  liquor,  and  con- 
sequently mixed  with  the  colouring  parts  of  the 
madder  in  a great  quantity  ; that  these  are  hete- 
rogeneous parts,  which  prevent  the  immediate 
contact  of  the  same  colouring  parts,  and  that  from 
all  these  obstacles  taken  together,  the  colour  must 
be  rendered  less  durable  and  less  holding  than  any 
of  the  lesser  die.  "I'his,  experience  sufficiently 
proves,  for  if  a skain  of  red  wool  died  in  this  man- 
ner, be  put  into  boiling  water,  the  colour  will  be 
laken  off  entirely. 


S 


206 


CHAPTER  III. 


OF  THE  MANNER  OF  USING  ARCHIL.’ 

ARCHIL  is  a soft  paste,  of  a deep  red,  which 
being  simply  diluted  in  hot  water  affords  a num- 
ber of  different  shades  ; there  are  two  kinds,  the  , 
most  common,  which  is  not  so  fine  or  so  good,  ' 
is  generally  made  in  Auvergne,  of  a ichen  or  j 
sort  of  moss,  very  common  on  the  rocks  of  that  1 
province  ; it  is  known  under  the  name  of  Archil  ( 
of  Auvergne,  or  Land  Archil.  The  other  is  a 
great  deal  finer  and  better  ; it  is  called  the  Ar-  , 
chil  of  Herb,  or  of  the  C’anaries,  or  Cape  Verd  Ar-  i 
chil  ; it  is  prepared  in  France,  England,  Holland, 
and  other  places. 

The  workmen  who  prepare  this  herb  Archil, 
make  a secret  of  the  preparation,  but  the  particu* 
lars  may  be  found,  well  related  in  a Treatise  of 
J£.  Pierre  Antoine  fdicheli,  which  bears  for  title, 
Nova  Planturum  Genera^  therefore  1 shall  not  here 
give  the  method  of  preparing  it. 

When  a dier  wants  to  assure  himself  that  the 
Archil  will  produce  a beautiful  effect,  he  must  ex- 
tend a piece  of  this  paste  on  the  back  of  his  hand 
and  let  it  dry,  afterwards  washing  his  hand  with 
cold  water.  If  this  spot  remains  with  onh  a lit- 
tle of  Its  colour  discharged,  he  may  judge  the 
Archil  to  be  good,  and  be  assured  it  will  suc- 
ceed. 

1 shall  now  give  the  method  of  using  the  pre- 
pared archil,  but  I shall  only  treat  of  that  of  the 


207 


Canaries,  and  just  mention  the  difference  between 
it  and  that  of  Auvergne.  A copper  is  fiikd  with 
clear  water,  and  when  it  begins  to  be  lukewarm, 
the  proper  quantity  of  archil  is  put  in  and  well 
stirred  : the  liquor  is  afterwards  heated  almost  to 
boiling,  and  the  wool  or  stuffs  are  dipped  without 
any  preparation,  only  keeping  those  longer  in  that 
are  to  be  deeper. 

When  the  archil  yields  no  more  colour  at  this 
degree  of  heat,  the  liquor  is  made  to  boil  to  ex., 
tract  the  remainder  ; but  if  it  is  archil  of  Auverg- 
ne, the  colours  drawn  after  this  manner  will  be 
sadder  than  the  first,  on  account  of  the  boiling  of 
the  liquor.  The  Canary  archil,  on  the  contrary, 
wnll  lose  nothing  of  its  brightness,  if  even  the  li- 
quor boiled  from  the  beginning.  This  last,  though 
dearer,  yields  much  more  die,  so  that  there  is. 
more  profit  in  making  use  of  it,  besides  its  supe- 
riority over  the  other  in  beauty  and  goodness  of 
colour.  The  natural  colour  w’hich  Is  drawn  both 
from  the  one  and  the  other  archil,  is  a fine  gris^de* 
lin^  bordering  on  the  violet.  Tl)e  violet,  the  pan- 
sy, the  amaranth,  and  several  like  colours  are  ob- 
tained from  it,  by  giving  the  stuff  a ground  of  blue 
more  or  less  deep  before  it  is  passed  through  the 
archil. 

It  must  here  be  observed,  that  to  have  the  clear 
shades  of  these  colours  as  bright  as  they  ought  to 
be,  the  wool  ought  to  be  sulphured,  as  was  said 
in  the  foregoing  chapter,  either  before  it  is  dipped 
in  the  archil,  for  griSrde  Im.  or  before  it  is  died 
blue  for  the  violet  and  other  like  colours. 

This  way  of  using  archil  is  the  simplest,  but  the 
colours  that  proceed  from  it  are  not  lasting.  It 
may  be  Lmagined  thgi  the  colours  would  be  better 


208 


by  giving  a preparation  to  the  wool  previous  t© 
its  being  died,  as  i:>  practised  in  the  great  die, 
when  madder,  cochineal,  weld,  Sec.  are  used  ; but 
experience  shews  the  contrary,  and  I have  used 
the  archil  on  wool  boiled  in  alum  and  tartar,  which 
did  not  resist  the  air  more  than  that  which  had  re- 
ceived no  preparation. 

There  is,  notwithstanding,  a method  of  using 
the  Canary  archil,  and  giving  it  almost  as  much 
duration  as  the  most  part  of  the  ingredients  of  the 
good  die;  but  then  its  natural  colour  of  gris-cle-lin 
is  taken  off,  and  it  acquires  a red  or  scarlet,  or 
rather  a colour  known  under  the  name  of  bastard 
scarlet.  The  colours  of  the  kermes  or  Venetian 
scarlet,  and  several  other  shades  that  border  on  the 
red  and  the  orange  may  also  be  drawn  from  it. 
These  colours  are  extracted  from  the  archil  by 
the  means  of  acids,  and  all  those  that  are  thus 
made  may  be  looked  upon  as  much  more  lasting 
than  the  others,  though  strictly  speaking,  they  are 
not  of  the  good  die. 

rniere  are  two  methods  of  extracting  these  red 
colours  from  the  archil.  The  fiisl  is  by  incorpo- 
rating some  acid  in  the  composition  itself  that  is 
made  use  of  to  reduce  this  plant  to  a paste  (such 
as  is  known  to  the  diers  under  the  name  of  archil.) 
I have  been  assured  that  it  may  be  made  violet 
and  even  blue,  which  probably  is  done  by  the 
mixture  of  some  alkalis,  but  I must  conless  I 
could  not  succeed  in  it,  although  I made  above 
twenty  trials  for  that  purpose.  I shall  now  pro- 
ceed to  the  second  method  of  extracting  from  ar- 
chil, a beautiful  and  pretty  lasting  red,  and  which 
I executed  four  times  with  success. 


209 


Bustard  Scarlet  by  Archil* 

Prepared  archil  jron^  the  ('anaries  is  diluted  as- 
usual  in  warm  water,  and  a bmaU  quantity  of  the 
common  conipobition  for  bcarlei  is  added,  which 
has  been  shoun  in  the  preceding  treatise,  a 
solution  ot  Un  in  aqua  regia,  w eakent  d w itti  water ; 
tho>  acid  ciears  tlic  nquor  immediatth  anci  gives 
it  a scarlet  coioar.  The  wool  or  slidF  is  then  to 
be  dipped  in  this  liquor,  and  left  till  it  has  received 
the  siiade  required.  If  the  colour  should  not  have 
brjghiness  enough,  a little  more  of  the  composi- 
ti-  must  be  put  in,  and  pretty  near  the  same 
method  must  be  followed  as  i • the  dicing  of  com- 
m(  Ji  scarlet  : I tried  to  makv;  it  in  two  liquors  as 
the  srariet,  that  is,  to  boil  the  stuff  with  ihe  com- 
position, a!id  a small  quantity  of  archil,  and  af» 
tervvards  to  finish  it  with  a greater  quantity^  of 
both,  and  1 siKceeded  equally  ; but  the  operation 
is  longer  after  this  manner,  and  I have  sometimes, 
made  as  fine  a colour  in  one  liquor.  Thus  the 
dier  may  take  his  choice  of  either  of  these  meth- 
ods. 

1 cannot  exactly  fix  the  quantity  of  ingredients 
in  this  opeiation.  First,  as  it  depends  on  the 
shade  that  is  to  be  given  to  the  stuff.  Second,  as 
it  is  a new  process  in  dicing,  I have  not  had  suf- 
ficient experiments  to  know  wfith  exactness  the 
quantity^  ofaiehii  and  composition  which  ought  to 
be  used  : the  success  also  depends  on  the  greater 
or  lesser  acidity  of  the  c(  nip^^sition.  in  short, 
this  method  of  dicing  with  archil  is  so  easy,  that 
by  making  two  or  three  trials  in  small,  more 
knowledge  will  be  acquired  from  it  than  1 could 
teach  in  a large  volume  ; I must  only  add,  tbat- 
S2 


210 


the  more  the  colour  drawn  from  this  ingredient 
approaches  the  scarlet,  the  more  lasting  it  is.  I .• 
have  made  a great  number  of  shades  from  the  ^ 
same  archil,  and  which  consequently  only  differed  ^ 
by  the  greater  or  less  quantity  of  the  composition,  ] 
and  I always  found  that  the  more  the  archil  w^ent  i 
from  the  natural  colour,  the  more  lasting  it  became, 
so  that  when  I brought  it  to  the  shade  known  by  j 
the  name  of  bastard  scarlet,  it  withstood  the  action  | 
of  the  air  and  essay  proof  almost  as  well  as  that  . 
which  is  commonly  made  with  cochineal  or  madder. 

If  too  much  composition  be  put  in  the  liquor, 
the  wool  will  become  of  an  orange  colour,  and  dis- 
agreeable. The  sanie  thing  also  happens  with  co- 
chineal, so  that  this  is  not  an  inconvenience  pecuU 
iar  to  this  die  ; besides  it  is  easily  avoided  by 
proceeding  gradually  in  the  addition  of  the  com- 
position. and  by  putting  a small  quantity  at  first. 

1 have  tried  the  different  acids  in  this  scarlet 
composition,  but  none  succeeded  well  ; vinegar 
did  not  give  a sufficient  redness  to  the  liquor,  and 
the  stuff  died  in  it  only  took  a colour  of  lees  of 
wine,  which  even  was  not  more  lasting  in  the  air 
than  that  of  the  archil  in  its  natural  state,  and  oth*. 
er  acids  saddened  the  colour.  In  short,  it  appears 
that  (as  in  scarlet  with  cochineal)  a metallic  base 
extremely  white  must  be  united  to  the  red  of  the 
archil,  and  this  basis  is  the  calx  oi  tin  I have 
repeated  the  same  operation  with  the  archil  of  Au- 
vergne, but  the  colours  were  nut  near  su  fine  or 
so  good. 


211 


CHAPTER  IV. 


OF  LOGWOOD  OR  CAMPEACHY. 

THE  campeachy  wood,  known  under  the 
name  of  logwood,  is  of  great  use  in  the  lesser 
die,  and  it  were  to  be  wished  that  it  was  not  used 
in  the  good  die,  for  the  colour  which  that  wood 
produces  loses  its  brightness  in  a short  time,  and 
even  disappears  in  some  places  on  being  exposed 
to  the  air ; the  low  price  of  this  drug  in  some 
measure  tolerates  its  use  ; but  the  pi  incipal  reason 
of  using  it  is,  that  by  the  means  of  different  prep- 
arations and  salts  it  affords  a great  number  of  col- 
ours and  shades,  which  are  not  easily  made  by  the 
ingredients  of  the  good  die  alone.  Yet  it  is  pos- 
sible, as  I have  said  before,  to  make  all  these  col- 
ours without  the  help  of  logwood  ; therefore  it 
was  proper  to  forbid  the  use  of  this  ingredient  in 
the  good  die. 

Logwood  is  necessary  to  soften  and  velvet  the 
blacks  ; it  is  this  velvet  hue  that  gives  that  excel- 
lency to  the  Sedan  blacks.  I shall  now  add  some 
little  matter  concerning  the  other  colours  in  which 
this  wood  is  used,  and  1 shall  observe,  that  when 
any  wood  whatsoever  is  used  in  dieing,  it  must 
be  cut  into  small  shavings  or  chips,  and  put  into  a 
bag,  that  it  may  not  stick  to  the  wool  or  stuffs  ; 
for  the  rough  chips  will  not  only  tear  the  goods, 
but  blot  them  in  those  places  to  which  they 
stick. 

Logwoodi  is  us^d  with  galls  and  copperas  for  all 


212 


the  shades  of  grey  which  border  on  the  slate  or 
lavender,  the  pigeon  grey,  the  lead  grey,  and  such 
like.  To  make  these,  a copper  is  filled  v\ith 
clear  water,  and  a proper  quantity  of  galls  is  add- 
ed ,*  this  must  be  proportioned  to  the  quantity  of 
stuffs  to  be  died,  and  to  the  depth  of  the  shade  re- 
quired. A bag  of  logwood  is  put  into  this  liquor, 
and  when  the  whole  has  boiled  and  cooled.,  the 
stuff  is  dipped  in  it,  adding  by  little  and  little 
some  copperas  previous!}  dissolved  in  water.  I 
cannot  fix  any  exact  proportion  of  ingredients,  as 
the  diers  of  the  lesser  die  are  not  accustomed  to 
weigh  them ; they  work  by  the  eye,  and  their  bu- 
siness being  to  match  low-priced  stuffs  for  linings 
of  cloths  for  which  they  have  the  patterns,  they  first 
make  them  lighter  than  is  wanted,  and  sadden  them 
by  adding  copperas  till  they  are  come  to  the  shade 
required.  If  they  find  there  is  not  logwood  suf- 
ficient, they  add  more  ; they  do  the  same  when 
they  have  several  stuffs  to  pass  through  the  same 
liquor,  when  they  find  the  v/ood  they  have  given 
has  yielded  all  its  die.  This  work  is  not  difficult, 
and  only  requires  practice  to  judge  pretty  nearly 
the  quantity  of  ingredients  to  be  used,  and  to 
judge  by  the  stuff,  while  wet,  whether,  when  dry, 
it  would  have  the  intended  colour,  which  is  done 
by  strongly  wringing  the  end,  and  blowing  on  it 
strongly  : by  this  means,  the  greatest  part  of  the 
humidity,  which  has  by  twisting  been  brought  to 
the  surface  of  the  stuff,  is  driven  off ; then  for  an 
instant  the  colour  is  seen  pretty  nearly  such  as  it 
will  be  when  dry  ; but  this  must  be  done  by  a 
quick  eye,  for  in  a moment  after  the  adjacent  mois- 
ture is  communicated  to  this  dry  place,  and  then 
you  may  be  deceived* 


213 


A pretty  fine  violet  is  also  made  with  logwood, 
by  first  boiling  the  wool  as  usual  with  alum  and 
tartar,  and  afterwards  passing  it  through  a li- 
quor of  logwood  in  which  a little  alum  is  dis« 
solved.  But  it  is  made  much  finer  by  bluing 
and  aluming  the  stuff  first,  then  dipping  it  in  a 
liquor  of  Brazil  mixt  with  a little  logw’ood  ; this 
violet,  though  of  the  lesser  die,  is  much  better 
than  the  former,  because  the  blue  ground  al- 
ways sustains  the  colour,  and  makes  it  more 
holding. 

The  logwood  also  affords  a blue  colour,  but  it 
lasts  so  ill  that  this  wood  is  seldom  used  for  dic- 
ing blue.  Y et  if  from  curiosity  you  wish  to  make 
a trial,  you  need  only  prepare  a liquor  with  log- 
wood, and  mix  a little  Cyprus  or  blue  vitriol  in  it, 
and  dip  the  stuffs  in  this  without  any  other  prepa- 
ration, and  you  have  a fine  blue. 

By  the  same  means,  green  may  be  made  in  the 
same  liquor.  For  this  purpose,  logwood,  French 
berries,  or  grains  of  Avignon  and  verdigrise  are 
put  into  a copper.  This  mixture  gives  the  li- 
quor a beautiful  green  colour  ; the  wool  may  be 
then  dipped  to  the  height  desired,  and  may  be  of 
any  desired  shade,  by  putting  in  more  or  less  of 
the  logwood  and  Avignon  grains.  But  this  col- 
our is  not  better  than  the  blue,  and  both  ought  to 
be  excluded  the  art  of  dicing  ; I have  given 
the  process,  merely  that  I might  omit  nothing 
which  came  to  my  knowledge  conceriiing  the 
art.  • 

The  use  to  which  logwood  is  most  commonly 
applied  in  the  lesser  die  is  for  plumb,  prune  coL 
ours,  purples  and  their  shades. 

This  wood  joined  with  galls,  readily  gives  »11 


214 


its  colours  to  wool  that  has  a ground  of  blue  ; it  is 
saddened  with  a little  green  copperas,  which 
browns  them,  and  by  this  means  some  shades 
may  be  easily  obtained  which  are  much  more  dif- 
ficult to  hit  in  the  great  die,  as  the  different  de- 
grees of  saddening  are  much  more  difficult  to 
match  in  a blue  vat,  than  by  the  help  of  the  iron 
of  the  copperas.  But  these  colours  fade  away 
very  soon  in  the  air,  and  in  a few  days  a 
great  difference  is  seen  between  the  parts  that 
were  exposed  to  the  air  and  those  that  were  cov- 
ered 

Having  experienced,  as  I said  in  the  preced- 
ing chapter,  that  the  scarlet  composition  changed 
the  colour  of  the  archil,  and  made  it  more  last- 
ing, 1 tried  what  effect  it  might  produce  on  the 
logwood  ; but  what  appeared  singular  to  me  was, 
that  whatsoever  quantity  of  composition  I put 
into  this  liquor,  it  never  lost  its  violet  colour. 
Being  desirous  to  put  this  to  a further  trial,  I 
died  a piece  of  cloth  with  logwood,  and  put  in^ 
to  the  liquor  a quantity  of  composition,  pretty 
near  equal  to  that  which  I would  have  put  for 
an  equal  dose  of  archil  ; the  cloth  took  a pretty 
good  violet  colour.  This  cloth  was  put  in  the 
weather  for  twelve  summer  days,  and  the  colour 
proved  no  laetter  than  if  no  composition  had  been 
used.  By  adding  a small  quantity  of  crystals  of 
tartar  to  another  liquor  composed  as  the  former,  I 
had  a more  lasting  colour,  but  considerably  dif- 
ferent. 


215 


The  Raven  Grey. 

The  raven  grey  on  worsted  or  stuffs  is  perform- 
ed in  the  following  manner. 

In  a copper  sufficiently  large  for  sixty  pound 
weight,  dissolve  eight  ounces  of  alum,  and  work 
the  worsted  on  sticks  very  quick  for  the  space  of 
half  an  hour  at  a boiling  heat  ; then  take  it  up, 
and  add  to  the  same  liquor  three  or  four  pounds  of 
copperas,  and  work  it  at  boiling  heat  for  half  an 
hour  longer  ; while  this  is  performing  the  worst- 
ed must  be  washed,  and  one  pail  full  of  logwood 
chips  must  be  boiled  in  another  copper  about 
twenty  minutes  ; the  worsted  must  then  be  turn- 
ed very  quick  in  the  logwood  decoction  about 
half  an  hour,  when  it  must  be  taken  out,  and  re- 
turned about  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  in  the  decoc- 
tion of  alum  and  copperas,  as  at  first.  This  last 
operation  is  absolutely  necessary,  as  it  contributes 
much  to  the  beauty  and  lustre  of  the  colour,  by’ 
discharging  the  gross  particles  of  the  logwood, 
and  leaves  a beautiful  raven  grey.  This  process 
will  hold  good  for  thin  goods  and  coarse  cloth, 
but  a less  proportion  of  logwood  will  do. 

CHAPTER  V, 


OF  SAXON  BLUE  AND  GREEN.’ 

I PLACE  here  among  the  lesser  dies  that  call- 
ed Saxon  blue  and  green,  which  has  been  for 
some  time  greatly  in  fashion,  being  finer  and 
brighter  than  any  blue  or  green  hitherto  known 


216 


either  in  the  greater  or  lesser  die,  but  it  bears  no 
pn -vr  ai-d  in  uveive  days  exposition  to  the  sun,  it 
loses  a great  part  of  its  colour. 

Blue  on  Cloth,  Stuff,  or  Yarn. 

Pat  into  a gL  zed  earthen-pot  four  pounds  of 
gO''*d  oil  of  vitrivd  with  twelve  ounces  of  choice 
indigo,  very  finety  ground  and  silted  ; stir  this 
chv  niical  mixture  very  hastily  and  frequently  in 
order  to  excite  a ft  rmentation,  and  break  the 
lumps  with  a stick  whose  bark  has  been  stripped 
off.  It  is  customary  with  some  diers  to  put  into 
this  composition  a little  ar.timony  or  saltpetre, 
tartar,  chalk,  alum,  or  other  things  ; but  1 find  it 
sufiicient  to  mix  the  oil  and  indigo  alone,  and  the 
colours  will  be  finer,  for  those  neutral  salts  destroy 
the  acid  of  the  vitriol  and  sully  the  colour.  In 
twenty-four  hours  it  is  fit  for  use  ; then  a copper 
of  a good  size  is  to  be  fided  with  fair  water,  (into 
which  one  peck  of  bran  is  put  in  a bag)  and  made 
pretty  warm  ; the  bran,  after  yielding  its  flour, 
must  be  taken  out,  and  the  ch)  mic  mixed  well 
with  water,  in  a piggin,  is  put  iu  according  to  the 
shade  required,  having  first  put  in  a harmful  of 
powdered  tartar  ; the  cloth,  &.c.  is  to  be  well  wet, 
and  worked  very  quick  over  the  wynch  for  half 
an  hour.  The  liquor  must  not  be  made  hotter 
than  that  for  madder  red.  Observe,  .the  hot  acid 
of  the  vitriol  would  cause  the  blue  to  incline  to 
green  if  too  much  heat  was  given  The  cloth, 
stuff,  or  yarn  must  be  turned  in  this  liquor  very 
quick  for  half  an  hour,  and  having  been  previously 
very  well  scoured,  the  colour  will  be  brilliant  and 
fine  ; it  is  best  after  washing  to  dry  this  colour 
in  the  shade. 


2L7 


Chymic  for  Green, 

Eight  ounces  of  indigo  is  sufficient  for  four 
pounds  of  oil  for  green,  because  this  mixture 
works  green  (and  would  even  die  apea^green  if 
used  very  hot)  and  therelore  would  not  do  for  blue. 
The  indigo  is  better  suspended  in  this  mixture 
than  in  the  former,  and  is  supposed  to  go  further 
in  green.  The  goods  being  well  scoured  are  to 
be  alumed  ; for  every  twenty  pound  weight,  two 
pounds  of  alum  is  to  be  put  into  a copper  with 
fair  v/ater,  and  the  goods  boiled  gently  an  hour 
and  a half ; whilst  this  is  performing,  another 
copper  is  got  ready,  in  which  fustic  chips  are  put 
to  boil  ; if  there  are  any  to  die  pea  green  it  is  best 
to  die  them  first,  not  as  practised  in  some  die^hous- 
es,  for  this  great  reason,  that  when  several  parcels 
of  goods  have  been  through  the  same  liquor, 
there  remains  a scurf  which  the  acid  extracts,  and 
that  is  sure  to  stick  to  the  next  parcel  that  goes  in  ; 
and  if  pea- green  vvas  the  last,  the  colour  would  be 
dulled  thereby.  The  greens  ([)ea' green  except- 
ed) are  to  be  turned  about  ten  mujutes  m the  afuru 
liquor  after  ^hey  are  died,  in  order  to  deai  tix  nt 
of  the  stuff,  and  render  the  colour  brighter,  'i'he 
alum  liquor  is  not  to  be  hotter  than  tb-t  the  hcUK.l 
may  be  borne  in.  Observe,  if  the  alum  was  ['ut 
in  fas  is  customary  in  some  die-honser)  with  the 
fustic,  it  would  retard  its  workitig  so  well  ; for 
alum,  being  an  acid,  would  discha*  gc  if  used  wiiii, 
as  well  as  prepare  for  fustic. 

The  reader  will  perhaps  think  me  too  tedious 
in  this  process,  and  Sriy  (because  he  is  not  used 
to  this  method)  it  is  a sup'eifiuous  woik  ; but  be 

T 


218 


assured  that  the  time  lost  in  the  process  will  be 
saved  in  the  fustic,  if  attention  is  paid. 

CHAPTER  VI. 


OF  BRAZIL  WOOD. 

UNDER  the  general  name  of  Brazil  wood  is 
comprehended  that  of  Fernambouc,  St.  Martha, 
Japan,  and  some  others  which  I shall  n<n  here  dis- 
tinguish, since  they  are  all  used  alter  the  same 
manner  for  dicing.  Some  give  greater  variety 
of  colours  than  others,  or  finer  ; but  this  often 
proceeds  from  the  parts  of  the  wood  being  more 
or  less  exposed  to  the  air,  or  that  some  parts  of  it 
may  be  rotted.  The  soundest  or  highest  in  col- 
our are  to  be  chosen  for  dieing. 

All  those  woods  give  a tolerable  good  colour, 
either  used  alone,  mixt  with  logwood,  or  with 
other  colouring  ingredients.  It  has  been  shewn, 
that,  in  the  false  or  bastard  violet,  a little  Brazil 
was  added  to  the  logwood  ; but  in  uie  vinous 
greys,  or  those  which  have  a cast  of  the  red,  a 
great  deal  more  is  used.  Sometimes  only,  a small 
quantity  of  galls  is  put  with  the  Brazil,  and  it  is 
saddened  with  copperas ; often  also  with  logwood, 
archil,  or  some  other  ingredient,  it  is  added  ac- 
cording to  the  shade,  from  whence  it  is  not  possi- 
ble to  give  any  fixed  rule  for  this  kind  of  work, 
on  account  of  the  infinite  variety  of  shades 
which  are  obtained  from  these  different  mixtures. 

The  natural  colour  of  the  Brazil,  and  for  which 
it  is  most  used,  is  the  false  scarlet,  which  appears 


219 


fine  and  bright,  but  far  inferior  to  the  brightness 
of  the  cochineal  or  gum  lacque. 

To  extract  the  colour  from  this  wood,  the  hard- 
est water,  such  as  will  not  dissolve  soap,  must 
be  made  use  of,  for  river  water  has  not  nearly  so 
good  an  effect  ; it  must  be  cut  into  chips,  and 
boiled  for  three  hours  ; the  water  is  then  taken 
out  and  put  into  a large  vessel,  and  fresh  well  wa- 
ter put  on  th.e  wood  and  boiled  again  for  three 
liours  ; this  water  is  added  to  the  first. 

This  liquor,  which  is  called  juice  of  Brazil, 
must  be  old  and  fermented,  and  rope  like  an  oily 
wine,  before  it  is  fit  for  use.  To  extract  a bright 
red  from  it,  the  stuff  must  be  filled  with  the  salts 
of  the  common  liquor  of  preparation,  but  the  alum 
must  predominate,  for  the  tartar  alone,  and  also 
sour  water,  great! spoils  the  beauty  of  this  coL 
our  : in  short,  acids  are  hurtful  to  it,  and  dissolve 
its  red  colouring  part.  Four  ounces  of  alum  for 
each  pound  of  stuff' is  to  be  added  to  the  liquor, 
and  only  two  ounces  of  tartar,  or  even  less.  The 
wool  is  to  be  boiled  in  it  for  three  hours  ; it  is 
then  taken  out  and  gently  wrung,  and  thus  kept 
moist  for  eight  days  at  least,  that  by  the  salts  be- 
ing retained  it  may  be  sufficiently  prepared  to  re- 
ceive the  die.  To  die  with  this,  one  or  two  pails 
full  of  the  old  juice  of  Brazil  is  put  into  a conven- 
ient copper,  and  well  scummed.  Dip  the  stuff 
which  has  remained  eight  or  ten  days  moistened 
in  the  preparing  liquor,  and  it  must  be  well  work* 
ed  in  it  without  making  the  liquor  boil  too 
strongly,  until  it  be  smoothly  and  equally  died. 
Care  must  be  taken  to  wring  a corner  of  this  stuff 
now  and  then,  as  1 have  already  said  to  judge  of 
its  colour,  for,  whilst  wet,  it  appears  at  least  three 


220 


sliades  deeper  than  when  dry.  By  this  method, 
which  is  somewhat  tedious,  very  bright  reds  are 
made,  perfectly  imitating  certain  colours  the  Eng- 
lish sell  under  the  name  of  Campeachy  scarlets, 
which,  by  the  proof  of  dies,  are  not  found  to  be 
better  than  this,  only  that  they  seem  to  have  been 
lightly  maddered. 

This  red,  of  which  I have  given  the  process, 
and  which  is  no  where  else  described,  withstands 
the  weather  three  or  four  months  in  the  winter, 
without  losing  any  of  its  shade  ; on  the  contrary, 
it  saddens  and  seems  to  acquire  a ground,  but  it 
docs  not  stand  the  proof  of  tartar. 

Some  diers  of  the  great  die  use  Brazil  to  height- 
en the  red  of  madder,  either  to  save  this  root, 
or  make  its  red  more  bright  than  usual.  This  is 
done  by  dipping  in  a Brazil  liquor  a stuff,  begun 
wdth  the  madder,  but  this  kind  of  fraudulent  die 
is  expressly  forbid  by  the  French  regulations,  as 
well  as  any  mixture  of  the  great  die  with  the  les- 
ser, because  it  can  only  serve  to  cheat,  and  to 
pass  for  a fine  madder  red,  a colour  which  in  a 
few  days  loses  all  its  brightness  along  with  the 
shade,  which  has  been  drawn  from  the  Brazil, 
prepared  in  the  common  manner. 

The  first  colour  extracted  from  this  wood  is 
not  of  a good  die,  probably  because  it  is  an  indi- 
gested sap,  and  whose  colouring  particles  have 
not  been  sufficiently  attenuated  to  be  retained  and 
sufficiently  fixed  in  the  pores  of  the  wool  died  in 
it.  When  these  first  gross  parts  of  the  colour 
have  been  carried  off,  those  that  remain  in  small 
quantity  are  finer,  and  mixing  themselves  to  the 
yellow  parts,  which  are  furnished  by  the  pure 
w^oody  parts,  the  red  resulting  from  it  is  more 
lasting. 


221 


0 


By  ihe  means  of  acids,  of  what  kind  soever,  all 
the  red  colour  of  this  wood  is  carried  off  or  dis- 
appears ; then  the  stuff  that  is  died  by  it  takes  a 
hind  colour,  more  or  less  deep  in  proportion  to 
the  time  it  is  kept  in  the  liquor,  and  this  colour  is 
of  a very  good  die. 

It  is  said  that  the  diers  of  Amboise  have  a 
method  of  binding  the  Brazil  colour  in  this  man^ 
ner  ; after  their  stuft^  lightly  maddered  have  been 
passed  through  a liquor  of  weld,  and  consequent- 
ly boiled  twice  in  alum  at  id  tartar,  they  put  arse- 
nic and  pearl  ashes  in  the  juice  of  Br.  zil,  and  it  is 
asserted  that  this  colour  thon  resists  the  proofs  ; I 
tried  this  process,  but  it  did  not  succeed 

When  a very  bright  rtd  is  required  from  the 
Brazil,  I know  by  experience  that  it  is  possible  to 
insure  the  colour  drawn  from  it  alter  such  a man- 
ner that,  having  exposed  it  thirt}  days  to  the 
rays  of  the  summe  ’s  sun,  it  will  not  change; 
but  tliese  kind  of  colours  are  coffee  and  chesnut 
purples. 

’ro  make  these,  1 keep  the  stuff  moistened  in 
its  liquur  in  a cellar  for  hiuen  days  ; this  liquor 
is  prepared  as  for  the  reds,  of  which  I have 
heretofore  spoken  ; 1 fill  a copper  to  tu  o-thirds 
with  well  water,  and  the  remaining  third  up  with 
Brazd  juice,  to  which  I add  about  one  oz  of 
Alep,  o galls  in  very  hue  powder  to  every  pound 
of  stuff,  and  then  boil  it  one  or  two  hours,  as  I 
want  the  shade  to  be  in  deepness  : the  stuff  is 
aired  from  time  to  time,  and  when  it  has  taken 
the  colour  desired,  it  is  well  cooled  befoie  it  is 
washed.  'Fhis  stuff  being  brushed  the  nap  lay- 
ed,  and  cold  pressed, comes  out  very  fine  and  ve- 
ry smooth. 

T 2 


m 


222 


CHAPTER  VIL 


. OF  FUSTIC. 

THE  fustic  gives  an  orange  colour  that  is  not 
lasting  ; it  is  commonly  used  in  the  lesser  die, 
like  the  roots  or  husks  of  walnuts,  without  boil, 
ing  the  stuff,  so  that  it  is  easily  managed.  It  is 
often  mixed  with  walnut  husks  and  weld  ; to 
make  tobacco  and  cinnamon  colours,  and  other 
like  shades.  But  this  wood  is  a very  bad  ingre- 
dient, for  its  colour  being  exposed  to  the  air  for 
a very  short  time  loses  all  its  brightness  and  the 
greatest  part  of  its  yellow  shade. 

If  a stuff  died  with  fustic  is  dipped  in  the  woad 
vat,  a disagreeable  olive  ensues,  which  does  not 
resist  the  air,  but  soon  loses  its  colour. 

I have  already  said  that  fustic  was  made  use 
of  in  Languedoc  for  making  of  lobster  colours 
for  foreign  markets,  as  it  greatly  saves  coch- 
ineal. For  this  purpose  they  mix  weld,  fustic, 
and  cochineal,  with  a little  cream  of  tartar,  in  the 
same  liquor,  and  the  stuff  boiled  in  this  liquor 
comes  out  of  a lobster  colour,  and  accordingly, 
to  the  quantity  of  these  different  ingredients,  it 
becomes  more  or  less  red,  tending  to  the  or- 
ange. Although  the  method  of  mixing  together 
ingredients  of  the  good  with  those  of  the  lesser 
die  ought  to  be  condemned,  yet  in  this  case,  and 
for  this  colour  onh , w hich  is  in  considerable  de- 
mand in  the  Medil'crrancan,  it  appears  that  the 
fustic  may  be  tolerated  ; for  having  attempted  to 


223 


make  the  same  colour,  with  only  the  ingredients 
of  the  good  die,  I did  not  get  a more  lasting  co- 
lour. 

The  change  which  the  air  produces  in  the  lob- 
ster colour  made  with  fustic  is  very  sensible,  but 
it  is  not  so  disagreeable  as  the  changes  incident  to 
several  other  colours  ; for  all  the  shade  goes  off 
and  weakens  at  once,  so  that  it  is  rather  dimiiAi- 
tion  than  a change  of  colour  ; whereas  the  li^b- 
ster  colour  made  with  the  yellow  wood  becomes 
of  a cherry  colour.  ) 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


or  Roucou; 

THE  roucou  or  racourt  is  a kind  of  dry  paste 
brought  from  America  ; this  ingredient  gives  an 
orange  colour  pretty  near  the  same  as  fustic,  and 
the  die  is  not  more  lasting.  However  it  is  not 
by  the  proof  alum  that  the  quality  of  the  roucou 
is  to  be  judged,  for  this  does  not  in  the  least  alter 
its  colour  ; on  the  contrary,  it  becomes  finer  and 
brighter,  but  the  air  carries  it  off,  and  eftaces  it 
in  a short  time  ; soap  has  the  same  effect,  and  it 
is  by  this  it  must  be  tried  according  to  the  instruc- 
tions on  these  kind  of  proofs.  The  place  of  this 
ingredient  is  easily  supplied  in  the  good  die  by 
weld  and  madder  mixed  together,  but  roucou  is 
made  use  of  in  the  lesser  die  after  the  following 
manner. 

Pearl-ashes  are  dissolved  in  a copper  with  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  water ; it  is  well  boiled  for 


2U 


one  hour,  that  the  ashes  may  be  totally  dissolved  ; 
then  as  many  pounds  of  roucoti  as  there  are  of 
asly-s,  are  added  ; the  liquor  is  well  raked  and 
suffered  to  boil  for  a quarter  of  an  hour  ; the 
wool  or  stuffs  that  are  to  be  died  are  then  dipped 
without  any  preparation,  except  dipping  them  lu 
luke  warm  water,  that  the  colour  may  spread  it- 
self equally. 

l"hty  are  left  in  this  liquor,  working  them  con- 
tinually until  they  are  come  to  the  desired  shade, 
after  which  they  are  washed  and  dried. 

The  roucou  is  often  mixed  with  other  ingredi- 
ents of  the  lesser  die,  but  I cannot  give  an}  in- 
structions  on  these  mixtures,  as  they  depend  on 
the  shades  you  wish  to  make,  and  are  in  themselves 
attended  with  no  difficult  v. 

I have  boiled  the  stuff  in  alum  and  tartar  before 
I died  it  with  roucou,  but  though  the  colour  was 
more  lasting  it  was  not  sufficieniiy  so  to  be  deem- 
ed of  the  go{)cl  die.  On  the  whe  le,  the  roucou 
is  a very  bad  ingredient  for  dicing  of  wool,  and  is 
not  made  much  use  of,  for  it  is  dear,  and  other 
ingredients,  that  are  cheaper  and  hold  better,  are 
used  in  its  stead 

Wool  died  with  roucou,  and  aftcru  ards  dipt 
in  the  indigo  or  woad  vat,  takes  a reddish  olive, 
whi  h in  a very  short  time  becomes  almost  blue 
in  the  air,  the  colour  given  by  the  roucou  disap- 
pearing. 


2i25 


CHx\PTER  IX. 


OF  THE  GRAINS  OF  AVIGNON. 

THE  grains  of  Avignon  are  but  little  used  in 
dicing,  they  give  a pretty  good  \ello\v,  but  not 
lasting,  no  more  than  the  green,  produced  by 
dipping  in  the  same  liquor,  a stiiif  that  has  a 
ground  of  blue.  To  work  it,  the  stuff  must  be 
boiled  in  alum  and  tartar  as  for  weld.  Then  a 
fresh  liquor  is  made  with  these  grains,  and  the 
stuft'is  dipt,  and  must  lie  in  it  longer  or  shorter, 
according  to  the  shade  that  is  wanted.  There  is 
no  difficult}  in  working  of  it,  so  I need  only  ob- 
serve that  it  ought  nt  ver  to  be  used  but  when 
all  other  ingredients  for  dieing  yellow  are  wanting  ; 
this  must  seldom  happen,  as  they  are  neither 
scarce  nor  dear. 


CHAPTER  X. 


OF  TURMERIC. 

THE  turmeric  is  a root  that  is  brought  from 
the  East  Indies  ; that  which  comes  from  Patna  is 
most  valued.  The  Indian  diers  call  it  haldi  ; it 
is  also  called  concome  in  the  regulations  of  M. 
Colbert,  it  is  reduced  to  a very  line  powder,  and 
used  pretty  near  the  same  way  as  the  grain  of  A- 
vignon,  but  in  much  less  quantity,  on  account  of 


226 


its  yielding  a great  deal  of  die.  It  is  somewhat 
belter  than  the  other  yellow  ingredients  spoken  of 
in  the  preceding  chapter,  but,  as  it  is  dear,-it  is  a 
sufficient  reason  for  seldom  or  never  using  it  in 
the  lesser  die. 

It  is  sometimes  used  in  the  great  die  to  gild  the 
yellows  made  with  weld,  and  to  brighten  and  or- 
ange the  scarlets  ; but  this  jiractice  is  to  be  con- 
demned ; for  the  air  carries  off  all  the  colour  of 
the  turmeric  in  a short  time,  so  that  the  gilded 
yellovvs  return  to  their  first  state,  and  the  scarlets 
brown  considerably  ; when  this  happens  to  these 
sort  of  colours,  it  mav  be  looked  on  as  certain 
that  they  have  been  falsified  tvith  this  ingredient, 
which  is  not  lasting 

I omit  speaking  of  saffron,  which  may  also  be 
made  use  of  to  die  yellow,  but  which  1 believe  is 
not  used  ; first,  on  account  of  its  being  dear  ; and 
secondly,  because  its  yellow  is  still  worse  than 
those  of  the  two  preceding  ingredients. 

This  is  all  that  remains  for  me  to  say  on  the  in- 
gredients  of  the  lesser  die,  they  are  only  to  be 
Used  for  common  and  low  priced  stuffs.  It  is 
not  (hat  I think  it  impossible  to  extract  lasting 
colours  from  tlicm,  but  then  those  colours  will  not 
strictly  be  the  same  which  these  ingredients  yield 
naturally,  or  by  the  ordinary  methods,  as  that 
gum  and  astriction  which  is  wanting  in  them 
must  be  added,  and  then  they  are  no  more  of  the 
same  quality  ; consequent!}  the  ravs  of  light  will 
be  differently  reflected,  and  the  colour  will  be  ciiL 
ferent, 


CHAPTER  XL 


OF  SILVER  GREY. 

FOR  pearl  colour  or  silver  grey,  to  die  forty 
pounds  (T  woollen  cloth  or  worsttch  bt;il  in  a small 
copper  four  pounds  of  logwood  chips  for  half  an 
hour,  add  to  it  six  ounces  of  [learl  ashes,  and  mix 
them  well  together;  while  this  is  performing, 
(having  the  worsted  well  scoured  and  parcelled 
in  hanks  on  the  die  sticks)  heat  a great  copper 
with  clean  water,  and  put  one  peck  of  wheat  bran 
in  a bag  into  the  copper  ; let  it  remain  with  often 
stirring  about  an  hour  ; when  the  water  begins  to 
boil,  put  in  three  ounces  of  alum,  which  will  throw 
the  filth  of  the  water  to  the  top,  when  it  must  be 
taken  off  with  the  bowl  ; w^ash  the  worsted  in 
this  liquor  about  forty  minutes,  when  it  must 
be  taken  up,  and  three  ©r  four  pails  of  the  log-, 
wood  liquor  added  to  the  alum  water.  The  goods 
must  then  be  w'orked  very  quick  for  forty  min- 
utes, when  you  may  add  more  logwood  liquor  if 
you  see  occasion.  Great  care  must  be  taken  after 
washing  to  dry  this  colour  in  the  shade,  or  it  will 
perhaps  change. 

Some  die  this  colour  in  one  liquor  and  boil  the 
logwood  in  a bag.  This  process  is  less  tedious, 
but  I prefer  the  former.  It  will  be  well  for  the 
dier  to  take  notice,  that  if  too  great  quantity  of 
alum  or  ashes  are  used  herein,  the  colour  will  be 
imperfect ; for  the  alum,  if  used  in  a right  pro« 
portion,  gives  that  bloom  jto  the  goods  which  is 


228 


necessary  for  a pearl ; if  too  much,  the  contrary 
would  happen.  The  ashes  also,  if  used  in  too 
great  quantity,  would  make  the  colour  too  red  ; 
this  mav  seem  a contradicti  >n,  because  the  ashes 
are  in  alkali,  but  practice  w ill  teach  the  truth. 

Another  excellent  Silver  Die, 

^ For  twenty  pounds  weight  of  cloth  or  worsted, 
eight  ounces  of  alum  and  twelve  pounds  of  fenu- 
greek must  boil  with  the  goods  l^alf  an  hour; 
then  take  it  up,  and  add  one  pound  of  pearl  ashes 
and  eight  ounces  of  Brazil  wood  ; boil  them  gent- 
ly with  the  gf)ods  half  an  hour  ; rince  it  and  you 
have  a beautiful  colour. 


INSTRUCTIONS 

ON  THE  PROOF 

OF  DIED  WOOL  AND  WOOLEN 
STUFFS. 

AS  it  has  been  found  that  the  methods  pre- 
scribed for  the  proof  of  dies,  by  the  thirty-seventh 
article  of  the  French  regulations  for  the  diers  in 
the  good  die^  of  cloth,  serges,  and  other  vvoollt  n 
stuffs  made  in  1659,  and  by  article  220  of  the 
general  iristruct ons  for  the  dieing  of  wool  of  ill 
colours,  and  for  the  culture  of  drugs  a id  ingredi- 
ents therein  used  made  in  157 «,  were  insufficient 
f(  r an  exact  judgment  of  the  goodness  or  falsi- 
ty of  sever  J colours,  that  they  might  sometimes 
lead  into  error,  and  leave  room  for  disputes,  di^ 


229 


ferent  experiments  have  been  made  by  the  French 
king’s  order  on  wool  designed  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  tapestry  to  ascertain  the  degree  of  good- 
ness of  each  colour,  and  the  most  convincing 
proofs  of  each. 

For  this  purpose,  fine  wool  was  died  in  differi’ 
ent  colours  both  in  the  great  and  lesser  die,  and 
exposed  to  the  air  and  sun  during  a proper  time  / 
the  good  colours  kept  themselves  perfectly,  and 
the  false  ones  were  carried  off  more  or  less  ac- 
cording to  their  bad  quality  ; and  as  a colour 
is  only  to  be  accounted  good  inasmuch  as  it  re- 
sists the  action  of  the  air  and  sun,  this  proof  serv- 
ed as  a rule  to  decide  the  goodness  of  different 
colours. 

After  this,  several  proofs  were  made  on  the 
same  wool  whose  patterns  had  been  exposed  to 
the  air  and  sun,  and  it  was  immediately  found 
that  the  same  trials  could  not  be  indifferently  used 
in  proving  of  all  colours  ; for  it  often  happened 
that  one  colour,  known  to  be  good  by  exposition 
to  the  air,  was  considerably  changed  by  the  es- 
say proof,  and  that  a false  colour  stood  the  same 
proof. 

These  experiments  exploded  lemon  juice,  vin- 
egar, sour  waters,  and  strong  waters,  as  it  was 
impossible  to  ascertain  the  degree  of  acidity  of 
these  liquors  ; and  it  appeared  that  the  surest 
method  is  to  use  ingredients  with  common  water, 
whose  effects  are  always  equal. 

In  following  this  plan,  it  has  been  judged  ne- 
cessary to  divide  into  three  classes  all  the  colours 
in  wdiich  w^ool  is  died,  either  in  the  great  or  lesser 
die,  and  to  fix  the  ingredients  that  are  to  be 

U 


230 


made  use  of  in  the  essay  proofs  of  the  colours, 
comprehended  in  each  of  these  three  classes. 

The  colours  comprehended  in  the  first  class  are 
to  undergo  the  proof  of  Roman  alum,  those  of 
the  second  with  white  soap,  and  those  of  the  third 
with  red  tartar. 

But  it  is  not  sufficient  to  be  assured  of  the  good- 
ness of  a colour  by  using  in  the  proof,  ingredients 
whose  effect  may  always  be  equal  ; it  is  also  ne- 
cessary, that  not  only  the  duration  of  this  trial  be 
exactly  determined,  but  even  the  quantity  of  water 
fixed  ; for  the  proportion  of  water  considerably 
augments  or  diminishes  the  activity  of  the  ingre^ 
dients  which  are  put  into  it.  The  method  of  pro- 
ceeding in  these  different  proofs  shall  be  set  forth 
in  the  following  articles  : 

Article  I. 

The  proof  of  Roman  Alum  must  be  made  as 
follows  : 

One  pound  of  water  and  half  an  ounce  of  alum 
are  to  be  put  in  an  earthen  vessel  or  pan.  The 
vessel  is  to  be  placed  on  the  fire,  and  when  the 
water  boils  strongly,  the  wool  is  put  in  and  left 
to  boil  for  five  minutes,  after  which  it  is  to  be  ta- 
ken out  and  washed  in  cold  water  ; the  weight 
of  the  pattern  of  wool  must  be  a drachm  or  there- 
abouts. 

II. — When  several  patterns  are  to  undergo  the 
proof  together,  the  quantity  of  water  and  alum  is 
to  be  doubled,  or  even  trippled,  which  will  no 


231 


ways  change  the  strength  or  effect  of  the  proof,  if 
you  observe  the  same  proportion  of  water  and  al- 
um, so  that  for  each  pound  of  water  there  may  be 
one  ounce  of  alum. 

III. — To  render  the  effect  of  the  proof  more 
certain,  care  must  be  taken  not  to  try  together 
wool  of  different  colours. 

IV. 

Ihe  Proof  with  White  Soap  is  to  be  made  after 
the  following  manner. 

To  one  pound  of  water  add  two  drachms  of 
white  soap,  and  place  the  vessel  on  the  fire  ; stir 
it  with  a stick  that  the  soap  may  be  thoroughly 
dissolved  ; when  it  is  so,  and  the  water  boils 
strongly,  the  woollen  pattern  is  put  in,  which  is 
to  boil  for  five  minutes. 

V. — When  several  patterns  are  to  undergo  this 
proof,  the  same  method  is  to  be  observed  as  in  the 
second  article,  that  is,  to  put  to  each  pound  of 
water  two  drachms  of  soap. 

VI — The  proof  with  red  tartar  must  be  exact- 
ly the  same,  with  the  same  proportions  as  the 
proof  with  alum,  taking  care  that  the  tartar  is  fine- 
ly powdered  and  well  dissolved  in  the  water  be- 
fore ihe  pattern  is  put  in. 

Vn. — The  following  colours  are  to  be  proved 
with  Roman  alum,  viz.  crimson  of  all  shades, 
Venetian  scarlet,  flame  colour  or  common  scarlet, 
cherry  colour  and  other  shades  of  scarlet,  violets 
and  gris  de  lin  of  all  shades,  purples,  lobster, 


‘232 


pomegranate,  slate  greys,  lavender  greys,  vio- 
let greys,  vinous  greys,  and  all  other  like  shades. 

VI II.  — If,  contrary  to  the  orders  of  the  regu- 
lations on  dicing,  any  ingredients  of  the  false  die 
have  been  made  use  of  for  fine  wool  died  in  crim- 
son, the  cheat  will  be  easily  found  out  by  the  proof 
of  alum,  for  it  changes  the  fine  crimson  a little  on 
the  violet,  that  is,  makes  it  border  a little  on 
the  gris  de  Im,  but  it  destroys  the  highest  shades 
of  the  bastard  crimson  ; thus  this  proof  is  a 
sure  method  to  distinguish  false  crimson  from 
fine. 

IX.  — Scarlet  of  kermes  or  grain,  commonly 
called  Venetian  scarlet,  is  no  wise  prejudiced  b^ 
this  proof ; it  raises  the  fire  colour  scarlet  to  a 
purple,  and  gives  a violet  colour  to  the  lighter 
shades,  so  that  they  border  on  the  de  lin,  but 
it  carries  off,  the  greatest  part  of  the  false  Bra- 
zil scarlet,  and  brings  it  to  an  onion  peel  colour  ; 
it  has  yet  a more  sensible  effect  on  the  lighter 
shades  of  this  false  colour. 

I'he  same  proof  carries  off  almost  entirely  the 
scarlet  of  flock  and  its  shade. 

X.  — Though  the  violet  is  not  a simple  colour, 
but  formed  of  blue  and  red  shades,  it  is  never- 
theless of  so  much  consequence  as  to  merit  a par- 
ticular inquiry. 

The  same  proof  with  Roman  alum  has  scarce- 
ly any  effect  on  the  fine  violet,  whereas  it  con- 
siderably alters  the  false  ; but  it  must  be  observ- 
ed, that  it  does  not  always  equally  carry  off  a 
great  part  of  the  shade  of  the  false  violet,  because 
this  colour  has  sometimes  a ground  of  woad  or 


233 


indigo  : now  this  ground  being  of  the  good  die, 
is  not  carried  off  by  the  proof)  but  the  redness 
goes  off,  and  the  brown  shades  become  almost 
blue,  and  the  pale  ones  of  the  colour  of  lees  of 
wine. 

XI. — With  regard  to  half  fine  violets,  forbid- 
den by  the  present  regulations,  they  must  be  rank- 
ed in  the  class  of  false  violets,  and  do  not  stand 
the  proof. 

Xil. — The  fine  gris-de-lin  may  be  known  from 
the  false  by  the  sanie  method,  the  difference  is  but 
trifling  ; the  gris  de  lin  of  the  good  die  loses  a lit- 
tle less  than  that  of  the  false. 

XIII. — Fine  purples  entirely  resist  the  proof 
with  alum,  whereas  the  false  entirely  lose  the  great- 
est part  of  their  colour. 

Xi  V. — Lobster  colours  and  pomegranate  strike 
on  the  purple  after  the  proof,  if  they  have  been 
made  with  cochineal,  whereas  they  will  pale  great- 
ly if  fustic  has  been  used  ; the  use  of  which  is 
prohibited. 

XV. — Blues  of  the  good  die  w ill  lose  nothing 
in  the  proof,  whether  of  w oad  or  indigo ; but  those 
of  the  lesser  die  w ill  lose  the  greatest  part  of  their 
colour. 

X\T. — The  slate  greys,  lavender  greys,  violet 
greys,  and  vinous  gre}s.  lose  almost  all  their  col- 
our if  they  are  of  the  false  die  ; whereas  they  per- 
fectly maintain  it,  if  of  the  good. 

XV H --The  proofs  of  the  following  colours 
are  to  be  made  with  white  soap  : yellow^,  jonquill  . 

V2 


2S4 


or  lemon  colour,  orange,  and  all  the  shades  of 
yellow  ; all  green  shades  from  the  yellow  green 
or  light  green,  to  the  cabbage  or  parrot  green,  the 
reds  of  madder,  cinnamon,  tobacco,  and  such 
like. 

XVIII — This  proof  perfectly  shows  if  the  yel- 
lows and  other  shades  derived  from  it  are  of  a 
good  or  false  die  ; for  it  carries  off  the  greatest 
part  of  their  colour  if  they  have  been  made  with 
grains  of  Avignon,  roucou,  turmeric,  fustic,  or 
saffron,  whose  use  is  prohibited  for  line  dies,  but 
it  no  ways  impairs  the  yellows  made  with  savo» 
ry,  dier’s  wood,  yellow  wood,  weld,  or  fenu- 
greek. 

XIX.  — The  same  proof  will  also  show  the 
goodness  of  greens,  as  those  of  the  false  die  lose 
most  of  their  colour,  or  become  blue  if  they  have 
a ground  of  woad  or  indigo  ; whereas  those  of  the 
good  die  lose  almost  nothing  of  their  shade,  but 
remain  green. 

XX.  — The  reds  of  pure  madder  lose  nothing 
by  the  soap  proof,  on  the  contrary  become  liner, 
but  if  Brazil  wood  has  been  used,  they  lose  their 
colour  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  ol  it  in  the 
composition  of  the  die. 

XXL — Cinnamon,  snulF  colours,  and  others 
of  this  cast,  are  scarcely  altered  by  this  proof,  if 
of  the  good  die,  but  they  lose  considerably  if  rou- 
cou, fustic,  or  dissolved  flock  has  been  made 
use  of. 

XXII. — The  proof  of  alum  would  be  of  no 
use,  and  might  even  lead  us  into  errors  with  re- 


2S5 


gard  to  several  colours  belonging  to  this  second 
class,  for  it  no  ways  alters  the  fustic  nor  the  rou- 
cou,  \vhich  nevertheless  do  not  withstand  the 
action  of  the  air  ; on  the  other  hand,  it  car- 
ries  oflf  a great  part  of  the  savory  and  of  the 
diet’s  wood,  which  are  very  good  yellows  and 
greens. 

XXIIL — All  the  brown  or  root  colours  should 
undergo  the  proof  with  red  tartar.  The  diets 
call  by  this  name  all  colours  that  are  not  derived 
from  the  five  primary  colours  ; they  are  made  with 
rinds  and  roots  of  walnut,  alder- bark,  sumach  or 
roudoul,  santal  and  scot  ; each  of  these  ingredi- 
ents gives  a great  variety  of  shades,  which  are 
all  comprehended  under  the  general  name  cf 
brown  or  root  colour. 

XXIV.  — The  above  named  ingredients  in  the 
preceding  article  are  good,  except  the  santal  and 
soot,  which  are  not  quite  so  good,  and  make 
the  wool  stiff  when  too  great  a quantity  is  used, 
so  that  all  this  proof  can  show  on  these  kind  of 
colours,  is,  whether  too  much  santal  or  soot  has 
been  put  into  them  ; in  this  case  they  lose  con- 
siderably by  the  proof  with  tartar  but  if  made 
with  other  ingredients,  with  only  a moderate 
quantity  of  santal  or  soot,  they  stand  a great  deal 
better. 

XXV.  — Black  is  the  only  colour  which  can- 
not be  comprehended  in  any  of  the  three  clas- 
ses above  mentioned,  and  a much  more  active 
proof  must  be  made  use  of.  To  know  if  the 
wool  has  had  a deep  ground  of  blue,  conform- 
able to  the  regulations,  the  proof  is  to  be  made 


236 


in  the  following  manner  : take  a pint  or  pound 
of  water,  one  ounce  of  tartar,  and  the  same 
quantity  of  Roman  alum  well  po  \clcred  ; boil 
it,  and  then  put  in  the  pattern  ; let  it  boil  strong- 
ly for  a quarter  of  an  hour,  and  afterwards 
wash  it  in  cold  water  ; you  will  then  easily 
know  if  it  has  had  the  proper  blue  ground,  for 
if  so,  the  wool  will  remain  of  a dark  blue  almost 
black  ; if  not,  it  will  turn  very  grey. 

XXVI. — It  is  common  to  brown  certain  co- 
lours with  galls  and  copperas  ; this  operation  is 
called  browning,  which  is  to  be  permitted  in 
the  good  die  ; but  as  this  may  cause  a particu- 
lar effect  in  proving  of  these  colours,  it  is  to 
be  observed  that  although  the  proof  liquor  ap- 
pears loaded  with  die  as  the  browning  is  carried 
off,  the  wool  must  be  reputed  of  a good  die  if 
it  still  preserves  its  ground  ; if  on  the  contrary 
it  loses  it,  it  is  then  deemed  to  be  of  the  fidse 
die. 

XXVII. — Although  the  browning  w'hich  is 
made  of  galls  and  copperas,  is  of  the  good  die, 
yet,  as  it  hardens  the  wool,  it  is  better  to  make 
use  of  the  indigo  or  woad  vat  in  preference. 

XXVIII. — Common  greys  made  with  galls 
and  copperas  are  not  to  undergo  any  of  these 
proofs,  because  these  colours  are  of  the  good  die, 
and  are  not  otherways  made  ; but  it  is  to  be  ob- 
served that  they  a re  first  to  be  passed  through 
the  liquor  of  galls,  and  afterwards  through  a 
second  liquor,  containing  the  copperas,  which 
must  be  much  cooler  than  the  first,  for  by  this 
method  they  are  made  finer  and  more  lasting* 


237- 


THE 

DIER’S  ASSISTANT. 

PART  III. 


ADDITIONAL  ARTICLES. 

CHAPTER  I. 

or  fLOWEHS. 

AMONG  the  infinite  variety  of  colours  which 
glow  in  the  flowers  of  plants,  there  are  very  few 
which  have  any  durability,  or  whose  figurative 
beauty  can  be  arrested  by  art,  so  as  to  be  applied 
to  any  valuable  purposes.  The  only  permanent 
ones  are  the  yellow.  The  red,  the  blue,  and  all 
the  intermediate  shade  of  purples,  crim  sons,  vi* 
olets,  &c.  are  extremely  perishable.  Many  of 
these  flowers  lose  their  colour  on  being  barely 
dried  ; especially  if  they  are  dried  slow'ly,  as  has 
been  usually  directed,  in  a shady  and  not  warm 
place.  The  colours  of  all  of  them  perish  on  keep- 
ing, even  in  the  closest  vessels.  The  more  hasti- 
ly they  are  dried,  and  the  more  perfectly  they  are 
secured  from  the  air,  the  longer  they  retain  their 


238 


beauty.  The  colouring  matter,  extracted  and  ap- 
plied on  certain  bodies,  is  still  more  perishable  / 
often  times  it  is  changed  or  destroyed  in  the  hand 
of  the  operator. 

Of  Blue  Flowers. 

The  colour  of  many  blue  flowers  is  extracted 
by  infusion  in  water,  but  there  are  some  from 
which  water  gains  only  a reddish  or  a purplish  hue. 
Of  those  that  have  been  tried,  there  is  not  one 
which  gives  any  blue  tincture  to  spirituous  li- 
quors ; some  give  no  colour  at  all,  and  some  a 
reddish  one.  The  juice  prcst  out  from  the  fresh 
flowers  is  for  the  most  part  blue. 

The  blue  juices  and  infusions  arc  changed  red 
by  all  acids  ; the  marine  acid  seems  to  strike  the 
most  florid  red.  I’he  flowers  themselves,  macc-^ 
rated  in  acid  liquors,  impart  also  a deep  red  tinct- 
ure. Alkalis,  both  fixed  and  volatile,  and  lime 
water,  change  them  to  a green.  Those  infusions 
or  juices,  which  have  nothing  of  the  native  colour 
of  the  flower,  suffer  the  same  changes  from  the  ad- 
dition of  acid  and  alkaline  liquors  ; even  when  the 
flowers  have  been  kept  till  their  colour  is  lost,  in- 
fusions made  from  them  acquire  still  a red  colour 
from  the  one,  and  a green  from  the  other,  though 
in  a less  degree  than  when  the  flowers  are  fresh. 

The  red  colour  produced  by  acids  is  scarcely 
more  durable  than  the  original  blue  ; applied  up- 
on other  bodies,  and  exposed  to  the  air,  it  gradu- 
ally degenerates  into  a faint  purplish,  and  at  length 
disappears,  leaving  hardly  any  stain  behind.  The 
green  produced  by  alkalis  changes  to  a yellow, 
which  does  not  fade  so  soon#  The  green  by  lime 


water  is  more  permanent  and  more  beautiful. 
Green  lakes,  prepared  from  these  flowers  by  lime 
water,  have  been  used  as  pigments  by  the  painU 
er. 


The  flowers  of  cyanus  have  been  greatly  re- 
commended, as  i flR.rdingelej^’ant  and  durable  blue 
pigments  ; but  I have  never  been  able  to  extract 
from  them  any  Irlue  colour  at  all.  They  retain 
their  colour  ii.deid,  when  hastily  dried,  longer 
than  some  oiher  blut  flowers,  but  they  communi- 
cate nothing  of  it  to  any  kind  of  menstrum.  fi3gp 
fusions  of  theni  in  watery,  spirituous,  and  oily 
liquors-  are  all  more  or  less  of  a reddish  cast,  with., 
out  any  tendency  to  the  blue.  Alum,  which  is 
said  to  heighten  at  d preserve  their  blue  colour, 
changes  it  like  that  of  other  blue  flowers, to  a purp- 
lish red  ; acids  to  a deep  red  ; alkalis  and  lime 
water  to  a green. 

Solution  of  tin,  added  to  the  watery  infusion, 
turns  it  to  a fine  crimson  ; on  standing,  a beauti- 
ful red  fecula  subsides,  but  it  loses  all  its  colour 
by  the  time  it  is  dry.  The  watery  infusion  in- 
spissated to  the  consistence  of  an  extract  made 
with  rectified  spirit,  is  of  a purplish  colour.  The 
colour  of  bf)th  extracts,  spread  thin  and  exposed 
to  the  air  quickly  fides. 

The  flowers  employed  in  these  experiments 
were  those  of  the  common  blue  bottle  of  the  corn 
field;  cyanis  se^efum  B centaur ea  catycihus 
serratis  ; foholts  iineartbus  integerritnis  ; trmmi 
dentutis  linn,  spec. 


240 


Bed  Flowers, 

Red  flowers  readily  communicate  their  own  red 
colour  to  Water  menstrua  : among^  those  that  have 
been  tried  there  is  not  one  exception.  Those  of  a 
full  red  colour,  give  to  rectified  spirit  also  a deep 
red  tincture  brighter,  though  somewhat  paler  than 
the  watery  infusion  ; but  the  lighter  red  flowers, 
and  th>  se  that  have  a tendency  to  the  purplish, 
impart  very  little  colour  to  spirit,  and  seem  to  par- 
take more  of  the  nature  of  the  blue  flowers  than 
of  the  pure  red. 

Infusions  of  red  flowers  are  supposed  to  be 
heightened  by  acids,  and  turned  green  by  alkalis, 
like  those  of  the  blue  ; but  this  is  fai  from  being 
universal.  Among  those  I have  exaniincd,  the 
rose  colours  and  purplish  reds  were  all  changed 
nearly  in  the  same  manner  as  the  blues,  but  the 
full  deep  reds  were  not.  The  deep  infusion  of 
red  poppies  is  turned  by  alkalis, not  to  a green  but 
to  a dusky  purple. 

Yellow  Flowers, 

The  colours  of  yellow  flowers,  whether  pale  or 
deep,  are  in  general  durable.  Many  of  them  are 
as  much  so  perhaps  as  any  of  the  native  colours  of 
vegetables.  The  colour  is  extracted  both  by  wa- 
ter and  by  spirit  ; the  watery  infusions  are  the 
deepest.  Neither  acids  nor  alkalis  alter  the  spe- 
cies ofcolour, though  boihcf  them  var\  its  shades; 
acids  rendering  it  paler,  and  alkalis  deeper  ; al- 
um likewise  considerably  heightens  it  though  not 
so  much  as  alkalis. 

Wool  or  silk  impregnated  with  a solution  of 


241 


alum  and  tartar,  receives,  on  being  boiled  with 
the  watery  infusion,  or  decoction,  adorable  yel- 
low die,  more  or  less  deep  according  as  the  li- 
quor is  more  or  less  saturated  with  the  colouring 
matter. 

An  infusion  of  the  flowers  made  in  alkaline  ley, 
precipitated  by  alum,  gives  a durable  yellow  Lke. 
Some  of  these  flowers,  particularly  those  of  the 
chr}  santhenmm,  or  corn  marigold,  appear  (from 
the  jirs  I'inctora  Fundamentalist  published  by 
Stahl)  to  be  made  use  of  by  the  German  Diers. 

In  some  of  the  deep  reddish  ) ellow,  or  orange- 
coloured  flowers,  the  yellow  matter  seems  to  be 
of  the  same  kind  with  that  of  the  pure  yellow 
flowers,  but  the  red  to  be  of  a diflerentkind  from 
the  pure  red  ones  ; watery  menstrua  take  up  on- 
ly the  yellow  and  leave  the  red,  which  may  after- 
wards be  extracted  by  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  or 
by  water  actuated  with  fixed  alkaline  salt.  Such 
particularly  are  the  saffron-coIoured  flowers  of 
carthamus.  These,  after  the  yellow  matter  has 
been  extracted  by  water,  are  said  to  give  a red 
tincture  to  ley  ; from  which,  on  standing  at  rest 
for  some  time,  a deep  bright  red  fecula  subsides, 
called,  from  one  of  the  names  of  the  plant  which 
produces  it,  saf  flower,  and  from  the  countries 
whence  it  is  commonly  broiiglu  to  us,  Spanish 
red,  and  China  lake  ; this  pigment  impregnates 
spirits  of  w’ine  with  a beautiful  red  tincture,  but 
communicates  no  colour  to  water. 

I have  endeavoured  to  separate  by  the  same 
treatment,  the  red  matter  of  some  of  the  other  red- 
dish yellow  flowers,  as  those  of  the  garden  nian- 
gold,  but  without  success-  Plain  water  extract- 
ed a yellow  colour,  and  cdkaline  ley  extracted  af- 
W 


242 


tervvards  only  a paler  yellow;  though  the  diges- 
tions were  continued  till  the  flowers  had  lost  their 
colour,  the  tinctures  were  no  other  than  yellow, 
and  not  so  deep  as  those  obtained  from  the  pure 
yellow  flowers. 

The  little  yellow  flosculi,  which  in  some  kinds 
of  flowers  are  collected  into  a compact  round  disc, 
as  in  the  daisy  and  corn- marigold,  agree  so  far  as 
they  have  been  examined  with  the  expanded  yel- 
low petala.  Their  colour  is  affected  in  the  same 
manner  by  acids,  by  alkalis,  and  by  alum,  and  c- 
qually  extracted  by  water  and  by  spirit. 

But  the  yellow  farina  or  fine  dust  lodged  on  the 
tips  of  the  stamina  of  flowers,  appears  to  be  of  a 
difierent  kind.  It  gives  a fine  bright  yellow  to 
spirit,  and  a duller  yellow  to  water  ; the  undissolv- 
ed part  proving  in  both  cases  of  a pale  yellowish 
white.  Both  the  watery  and  spiritous  tinctures 
were  brightened  by  alkaline  liquors  turned  red  by^ 
acids,  and  again  a deep  yellow  on  adding  more 
of  the  alkali.  I know  no  other  vegetable  y ellow 
that  is  changed  red  by  acids. 

White  Flowers* 

White  flowers  are  by  no  means  destitute  of  co- 
louring matter.  Alkaline  lixivia  extract  from 
some  of  them  a green  tincture,  and  change  their 
colourless  expressed  juices  to  the  same  colour. 
But  I have  not  observed  that  they  arc  turned  red 
by  acids.  The  flowers  of  the  common  wild  con- 
volvulus or  bind  weed,  which  in  all  their  parts  are 
white,  give  a deep  yellow  or  orange  tincture  to 
plain  water,  which  like  the  tincture  of  flowers 
which  are  naturally  of  that  colour,  is  rendered 


243 


paler  by  acids,  heightened  a little  by  alum,  and 
more  considerably  by  alkaline  salts.  The  vapours 
of  the  volatile  vitriolic  acid,  or  of  burning  sul- 
phur, which  whiten  or  destroy  the  colour  of  the 
coloured  flowers,  makes  no  change  in  the  white. 

CHAPTER  II. 


OF  FRUITS. 

THE  red  juices  of  fruits,  as  red  currants,  mul- 
berries, elder  berries,  and  morello  and  black  cher-' 
ries,  &c.  gently  inspissated  to  dryness,  dissolve 
^ again  almost  totally  in  water,  and  appear  nearly  of 
the  same  red  colour  as  at  first.  Rectified  spirit 
extracts  the  tinging  particles,  leaving  a considera- 
ble portion  of  mucilaginous  matter  undissolved  i 
and  hence  the  spirituous  tincture  proves  of  a 
brighter  colour  than  the  watery.  " The  red  solu- 
tions and  the  juices  themselves  are  sometimes 
made  dull,  and  sometimes  more  florid,  by 
acids,  and  generally  turned  purplish  by  alkalis. 

The  colours  of  these  juices  are  for  the  most 
part  perishable.  They  resist  indeed  the  power  of 
fermentation,  and  continue  almost  unchanged 
after  the  liquor  has  been  converted  into  wine.  But 
when  the  juice  is  spread  thinly  on  other  bodies, 
exsiccated,  and  exposed  to  the  air,  the  colour 
quickly  alters  and  decays  : the  bright  lively  reds 
change  the  soonest.  The  dark,  dull  red  strain 
from  the  juice  of  the  black  cherry,  is  of  consid- 
erable durability.  The  fruit  of  the  American 
opuntia  or  prickly  pear,  the  plant  upon  which  the 


244 


cochineal  insect  is  produced,  is  perhaps  an  ex» 
ception  : this  bright  red  fruit  according  to  Labat, 
gives  a beautiful  red  die.  Some  experiments, 
however,  made  upon  the  juice  of  that  fruit,  as 
brought  into  England,  did  not  seem  to  promise 
any  great  advantage  from  it  ; but  the  particulars  I 
cannot  now  recollect. 

The  ripe  berries  of  buckthorn  stain  paper  of  a 
green  colour.  From  these  is  prepared  the  sub- 
stance called  sap-green,  a pigment  sufficiently  du- 
rable, readily  soluble  in  water,  but  not  miscible 
vdth  oil.  The  berries  dried  whilst  green,  and 
macerated  in  alum  water,  are  said  to  yield  a yellow 
pigment ; and  when  they  have  grown  over- ripe, 
so  as  to  fall  off  spontaneously,  a purple  one. 
Woollen  cloth,  prepared  with  alum  and  tartar, 
receives,  on  being  boiled  with  the  berries,  a per- 
ishable yellow  die.  The  French  berries,  or  grain- 
ed Avignon  of  the  French  Diers,  one  of  the  most 
false,  that  is,  the  most  perishable  of  the  yellow 
dies,  is  the  berry  of  a species  of  buckthorn  smaller 
than  that  which  grows  wild  among  us. 

It  is  said  that  the  berry  of  the  Heliotr opium  trt. 
coccum^  which  grows  wild  about  Montpelier, 
stains  paper  of  a green  colour,  and  that  this  green 
turns  presently  to  a blue  ; that  the  common  blue 
paper  receives  its  colour  from  this  juice ; and  that 
the  red  rags,  called  turnsoL  employed  for  colour- 
ing wines  and  other  liquors,  are  tinctured  by  the 
same  juice,  turned  red  by  acids.  According  to 
M,  Nissolle  of  the  French  academy  of  sciences 
(as  quoted  by  Savary  in  his  Dictionaire  de  Com. 
merce J the  colouring  juice  is  obtained,  not  from 
the  berries,  bu’  from  the  tops  of  the  plant,  gather- 
ed in  August,  ground  in  mills,  and  then  commit- 


245 


ted  to  the  press.  The  juice  is  exposed  to  the  sun 
about  an  hour,  the  rags  dipped  in  it,  dried  in  the 
sun,  moistened  by  the  vapour  which  arises  during 
the  slacking  of  quick  lime  with  urine,  then  dried 
again  in  the  sun,  and  dipped  again  in  the  juice. 
The  Dutch  and  others  are  said  to  prepare  turn- 
sol  rags,  and  turnsol  in  the  mass,  from  different 
ingredients,  among  which  archil  is  a principal 
one. 

In  some  plants,  peony  for  instance,  the  seeds 
at  a certain  point  of  maturity  are  covered  Vv'ith  a 
fine  shining  red  membrane  ; the  pellicles  of  the 
seeds  of  a certain  American  tree  afford  the  red 
masses  brought  into  Europe  under  the  names  of 
annotto,  orlean,  and  roucou.  The  red  seeds, 
cleared  from  the  pods,  are  steeped  in  water  for 
seven  or  eight  days  or  longer,  till  the  liquor  be- 
gins to  ferment ; then  strongly  stirred,  and  stamp« 
ed  with  wo^*den  paddles  and  beaters,  to  promote 
the  separation  of  the  red  skins;  this  process  is 
repeated  several  times  till  the  seeds  are  left  white. 
The  hquor  passed  through  close  cane  selves  is 
pretty  thick,  of  a deep  red  colour  and  a very  ill 
smell.  In  boiling  it  throws  up  its  colouring  mat- 
ter to  the  surface  in  form  of  scum,  which  is  after, 
wards  boiled  down  by  itself  to  a due  consistence, 
and  made  up,  while  soft  into  balls. 

The  annotto  commonly  met  with  among  us,  is 
moderately  hard  and  dry,  of  a brown  colour  on 
the  outside,  and  a dull  red  within.  It  is  with  dif- 
ficulty acted  on  by  water,  and  tinges  the  liquor 
only  of  a pale  brownish  yellow  colour.  In  recti- 
fied spirit  of  wine  it  readily  dissolves,  and  com- 
municates a high  orange  or  yellowish  red.  Hence 
it  is  used  as  an  ingredient  in  varnishes,  for  giving 


246 


i3fiore  or  less  of  an  orange  cast  to  the  simple  yel- 
lows Alkaline  sails  render  it  perfectly  soluble 
in  boiling  water,  without  altering  its  colour. 
Wool  or  silk  boiled  in  the  solution,  acquire  a 
deep  but  not  a very  durable  orange  die.  Its  col- 
our is  not  changed  b)  alum  or  by  acids  any  more 
than  by  alkalis  ; but  when  imbibed  in  cloth,  it  is 
discharged  by  soap  and  destroyed  by  exposure  to 
the  air. 

Mr.  Pott,  in  the  Berlin  memoirs  for  the  year 
1752,  mentions  a very  extraordinary  property  of 
this  concrete.  With  the  vitriolic  acid,  it  pro- 
duces a blue  colour,  ol  extreme  beauty,  but  with 
this  capital  defect,  that  all  salts  and  liquors,  even 
common  water  destroy  it.** 

The  specimen  of  annotto  w hich  I examined, 
was  not  sensibl}  acted  on  by  spirit  of  vitriol.  It 
received  no  change  in  its  own  colour,  and  com- 
municated none  to  the  liquor.  Nor  did  any 
visible  change  ensue  upon  dropping  the  acid 
into  tinctures  of  annotto  made  in  water  or  in 
spirit. 

Labat  informs  us,  that  the  Indians  prepare  an 
annotto  greatly  superior  to  that  which  is  brought 
to  us,  of  a bright  shining  red  colour,  almost  equal 
to  carmine  ; that  for  ihi^  purpose,  instead  of  steep- 
ing and  fermenting  the  seeds  in  water,  they  rub 
them  wiih  the  hands  previously  dipt  in  oil,  till  the 
pellicles  come  oflF,  and  are  reduced  into  a clear 
paste,  which  is  scraped  off  from  the  hands  with 
a knife,  and  laid  on  a clean  leaf  in  the  shade  to  dry. 
De  Lacet^  in  his  ik  tes  on  Maregrave’s  Natural 
History  of  Brazi  l mentions  also  two  kinds  of  an- 
notto, one  of  a permanent  crimson  colour,  (coc- 
cineus)  used  as  a fucus  \ and  another  which  gives 


247 


a colour  inclining  more  to  that  of  saffron.  This 
last,  which  is  our  annouo,  he  supposes  to  be 
a mixture  of  the  first  sort  wiih  certain  resinous 
matters,  and  with  the  juice  of  the  root  of  the 
tree. 

Ximenes  relates,  that  annotto  with  urine  stains 
linen  of  such  a permanent  colour  that  it  can  never 
be  washed  out  Perhaps  tht  first  sort  is  meant. 
Our  annotto  boiled  in  urine,  imparted  to  linen 
a deep  yellowish  red  : the  stained  linen,  hung 
out  in  the  air  in  summer,  in  seven  or  eight 
days'lost  all  its  colour  and  became  white  again. 


CHAPTER  III. 

or  LEAVES. 

THE  green  colour  of  the  leaves  of  plants  is  ex- 
tracted by  rectified  spirit  of  wine  and  by  oils. 
The  spirituous  tinctures  are  generally  of  a fine 
deep  green,  even  when  the  leaves  themselves  arc 
dull  coloured,  or  yellovvish,  or  hoary.  The  col- 
our however,  seldom  abides  long  even  in  the  li- 
quor ; much  less  when  the  tinging  matter  is  sep- 
arated in  a solid  form  and  exposed  with  a large 
surface  to  the  air.  The  editor  of  the  fVirtemberg 
Fharmacopddia  observes,  that  the  leavt  s of  acan- 
thus bran k ursine  or  bears  breech,  give  a more  du-  . 
Table  green  tincture  to  spirit  than  th  >se  of  any  ^ 
otner  herb.  Alkalis  heighten  the  colour  both  of  i 
the  tinctures  and  green  juices.  Acids  weaken, 
desiniv,  or  change  it  to  a browmish.  Lime  wa- 
ter improves  both  the  colour  and  the  durability. 


248 


By  means  of  lime,  not  inelegant  green  lakes  are 
procurable  from  ihe  leaves  of  acanthus,  liliy  of  the 
valley,  and  several  other  plants. 

There  are  very  fevv  herbs  which  comnuiuicatc 
any  sh  ire  of  their  green  colour  to  water  ; perhaps 
noiie  that  give  a green  of  any  considerable  deep- 
ness. It  is  said  how  ever,  that  the  leaves  of  some 
■plants  give  a green  die  to  woollen,  without  the 
addition  of  any  other  colouring  matter  ; particu- 
larly  those  of  the  wild  chervil  or  cow.  weed  [AJyrr- 
his  sylvestris.  semhiibus  Isevthus,  C\  B J the  com- 
mon ragw'urt,  and  devil’s  bit.  The  process  with 
this  last  as  described  by  Linnaeus  (in  the  Sve^tsca 
jicad.  Handle  ars,  1742)  is  pretty  remarkaoie. 
The  peasants,  he  informs  us  in  some  of  the  Swe- 
dish provinces,  stratify  the  fresh  leaves  with  wool- 
len yarn,  and  boil  them  about  as  long  as  it  is  cus- 
tomary to  boil  fish. 

The  whole  is  suffered  to  stand  in  the  vessel 
for  a night.  The  wool,  taken  out  in  the  morning 
does  not  appear  to  have  received  any  colour. 
The  pot  is  again  made  hot,  and  the  yarn  hung  over 
it  upon  a stick,  covered  w ith  an  inverted  dish  to 
confine  ihe  steam,  for  this  steam  is  supposed  to 
be  essential  to  the  colour.  The  yarn  is  afterwards 
wrung,  the  leaves  taken  out  <if  thi.  b(  iling  liquor, 
a little  fresh  water  added  to  the  decoction,  and 
the  wool  frequently  dipt  therein,  till  it  appears 
sufficiently  coloured. 

The  leaves  of  many  kinds  of  herbs  and  trees 
give  a yellow  die  to  wool  or  woolen  cloth  that  has 
been  previously  bf)ik  d ui  h a solution  of  alum  and 
tartar;  weld  in  particular  affjrds  a fine  vellow,cind 
is  commonlv  made  u .e  of  tor  this  purpose  by  the 
diers,  and  cultivated  in  large  quantities  in  some 


249 


parts  of  England.  There  is  no  colour  for  which 
w*e  have  such  plenty  of  materials  as  for  yellow". 
Mr.  Hellot  observes  in  his  de  I'eindre,  that 
all  leaves,  barks,  and  roots  which  on  being  chew  ed 
discover  a slight  astringency,  as  the  leaves  of  the 
almond,  peach,  and  pear  trees,  ash  bark,  (espe- 
cially that  taken  off  after  the  first  rising  of  the  sap 
in  spring)  the  roots  of  wild  patience,  &c.  yield 
durable  yellows,  more  or  less  beautiful  according 
to  the  length  of  time  that  the  boiling  is  continued, 
and  the  proportions  of  alum  and  tartar  in  the  pre. 
paratory  liquor  .*  that  a large  quantity  of  alum 
makes  these  yellows  approach  to  the  elegant  yel- 
low of  weld  ; that  if  the  tartar  is  made  to  prevail, 
it  inclines  them  to  an  orange  : that  if  the  roots, 
barks,  or  leaves  be  too  long  boiled,  the  yellow 
proves  tarnished,  and  acquires  shades  of  brown  ; 
that  for  dying  with  weld,  the  best  proportions  of 
the  salts  are,  f )ur  parts  of  alum  and  one  of  tartar 
to  sixteen  of  the  wool  ; and  that  the  wool  prepar- 
ed with  these  is  to  be  boiled  again  with  five  or 
six  times  its  quantity  of  w eld ; that  for  light  shades 
it  is<:ustomary  to  diminish  the  alum  and  omit 
the  tartar  ; and  that  in  this  case  the  colour  is  more 
slowly  imbibed,  and  proves  less  durable. 

Of  all  the  colours  of  the  dier,  w^e  have  the  few"- 
est  materials  for  blue  ; the  mineral  and  animal 
kingdoms  afford  none,  excepting  perhaps  Prus- 
sian blue,  w hich  Mr  Macquer  hus  lately  attempt “ 
ed  to  introduce  in  this  art.  The  vegetable  ields 
but  tw  o,  w’hich  are  both  produced  from  the  leave® 
of  plants,  indigo  and  woad. 


250 


CHAPTER  IV. 


MR.  lewis’s  history  OF  MADDER,  AND  MAN- 
NER OF  TREATING  IT. 

MADDER  f Rabia  iinctoriim  saflva,  C,  B,J 
is  one  of  the  asperifoiious  steiiatcd  pianiSj  or  of 
those  which  have  rough  narrow  leaves,  set  in  form 
of  a star  at  the  joints  of  the  stalks.  The  root, 
which  is  the  only  part  made  use  of,  is  long  and 
slender,  of  a red  colour  both  on  the  outside  and 
within,  excepting  a whitish  pith  which  runs  along 
the  middle. 

This  plant  was  formerly  cultivated  among  us 
in  great  quantity  for  the  use  of  the  diers.who  for 
some  time  past  have  been  supplied  fiom  H«)liand 
and  Zealand.  Its  culture  is  now  again  set  on  foot 
in  this  kingdom,  under  the  laudable  encourage* 
ment  of  a public  society  Madder  is  not  like  al- 
kanet,and  other  exotic  plants  the  colour  of  which 
degenerates  in  our  climates,  for  ihiglish  madder 
is  equal  to  the  best  that  is  brought  Irom  abroad. 

Madder  root  gives  out  its  colour  both  to  water 
and  to  rectified  spirit  ; the  watery  tincture  is  of  a 
dark  dull  red,  the  s[)irituous  ol  a deep  bright  one. 
Taken  internally  (for  it  has  someumes  been  used 
medicinally  as  an  aperient  and  diuretic)  it  tinges 
the  urine  red.  In  the  Philosophical  Transactions, 
and  in  the  memoirs  of  the  French  Academy, the  re 
are  accounts  of  i's  producing  a like  efiect  upon 
the  bones  of  animals,  m whom  it  hid  been  given 
with  their  food.  Ail  the  bones,  particuUrly 


251 


more  solid  ones,  were  changed  both  externally 
and  internaily  to  a deep  red,  but  neither  the  car- 
tilagmous  nor  fleshy  parts  suffered  any  alteration. 
Some  of  those  bones, macerated  in  water  for  many 
weeks  together,  and  afterwarus  steeped  anci  bc/il- 
ed  in  sj)irit  of  wine,  lost  nothing  of  their  colour, 
nor  communicated  any  tinge  to  the  liquors. 

The  dealers  in  this  commodity  make  three 
sorts  of  it  : madder  in  the  branch,  madder  in  the 
bunch  or  in  the  bundle,  and  madder  unbundled. 

M *dder  in  the  branch  is  the  entire  root  dried. 
This  ground  in  mills  to  a gross  powder  is  the 
unbundled  madder.  The  bundled  or  bunch  mad~ 
der  is  a powder  of  the  finer  roots,  fretd  from  the 
outrer  bark  and  from  the  pith.  It  is  said  that  by 
keeping  for  tv\o  or  three  years  in  close  casks  the 
colnur  is  improved  ; in  open  vessels  it  decays. 

Madder  imparts  to  woollen  cloth,  prepared  with 
alum  ar»d  tartar,  a very  durable,  though  not  a very 
beautiful  red  dye.  As  it  is  the  cheapest  of  all 
the  red  drugs  that  give  a durable  colour,  it  is  the 
principal  one  commonly  made  use  offer  ordina- 
ry stuffs.  Sometimes  its  die  is  heightened  by  the 
addition  of  Brazil  wood  ; and  sometimes  it  is  em- 
ployed in  conjunction  with  the  dearer  reds,  as 
cochineal,  for  demi- scarlets  and  demi  crimsons. 
Mr.  Hellot  informs  us,  that  those  who  die  the 
best  madder  reds  are  particularly  cartful  to  keep 
the  liquor  of  a heat  considerably  below  boiling, 
increasing  the  fire  only  towards  the  end,  so  as  to 
make  it  boil  for  a minute  or  two  just  before  the 
cloth  is  taken  out  to  confirm  the  die  ; a boiling 
heat  enables  water  to  extract  not  only  red,  but 
a tawny  or  brownish  matter,  which  debases  the 
red  to  a dull  brick  colour. 


252 


The  proportion  of  madder  is  about  half 
the  weight  of  the  cloth.  The  best  proportion 
of  salts  for  preparing  the  cloth  to  receive 
the  die,  seems  to  be  five  parts  of  alum  and  one  of 
red  tartar  for  sixteen  of  the  stuff ; which  is  to  be 
boiled  with  these  for  two  hours  or  longer,  then 
kept  m‘.)ist  for  some  days,  and  afterwards  digest- 
ed wdth  the  madder. 

A variation  in  the  proportion  of  the  salts,  va- 
ries the  colour  communicated  by  the  madder,  and 
not  only  the  shade,  but  the  species  of  colour. 

If  the  alum  be  diminished,  and  the  tartar  in- 
creased, the  die  proves  a red  cinnamon  ; if  the 
alum  be  entirely  omitted,  the  red  is  destroyed, 
and  a very  durable  tawny  cinnamon  is  produced. 

On  boiling  the  died  cloth  in  weak  alkaline  ley, 
great  part  of  the  colour  is  destroyed,  and  the  re- 
mainder appears  a very  dirty  or  a kind  of  sallow 
hue.  Solution  of  soap,  on  the  other  hand,  dis- 
charges a part,  and  leaves  the  remaining  red 
more  lively  than  before. 

V olatile  alkalis  heighten  the  red  colour  of  mad- 
der, but  at  the  same  time  render  it  fugitive  like 
themselves.  Madder  prepared  with  lime  and  urine, 
after  the  manner  practised  for  archil,  lost  its  red 
colour  on  attempting  to  die  with  it,  and  commu- 
nicated to  the  cloth  only  permanent  nut  colours. 

If  a pure  red,  as  that  of  cochineal,  be  applied 
on  cloth  which  has  been  previously  died  blue,  and 
afterwards  prepared  for  receiving  this  red  by 
boiling  with  alum  and  tartar,  a purple  or  violet 
will  be  produced,  according  as  the  blue  or  the  red 
prevail.  The  madder  red  has  not  ibis  effect,  for 
as  its  colour  is  no^  a I'ure  red,  but  is  tarnished  by 
the  tawny  matter  which  its  woody  fibres  have  in 


2B3 


common  wiih  other  roots.  It  gives  upon  blue  only 
a chesnut  die,  more  or  less  deep  according  to  the 
deepness  of  the  blue  applied  first. 

There  are,  however,  means  of  obtaining  from 
madder  a fine  purple,  without  the  addiiion  of  any 
other  colouring  drug.  A piece  of  white  woollen 
cloth,  weighing  half  an  ounce,  was  boiled  for  half 
an  hour  with  ten  grains  of  roman  alum  and  six 
grains  of  crystals  of  tartar,  and  then  taken  out, 
squeezed,  and  suffered  to  cool.  Twenty  four 
grains  of  bunch  madder  were  added  to  the  same 
liquor  ; and  after  the  madder  h id  given  out  its 
colour,  twenty  drops  of  a solution  of  bismuth 
(made  in  spirit  of  nitre,  dilated  with  equal  its 
weight  of  vvater)  were  dropped  in.  'fhe  cloth 
was  now  dipped  again,  and  in  half  an  hour  taken 
out,  squeezed  and  tvashed.  It  appeared  of  a crim- 
son colour,  nearly  as  beautiful  as  if  it  had  been 
died  wid>sr::;5chineal.  To  try  the  effect  of  loading 
it  further  with  the  colouring  matter,  it  was  re- 
turned into  the  liquor  and  boiled  for  a quarter  of 
an  hour  longer  : it  had  now  acquired  a purple 
colour  sufficiently  vivid. 

On  varying  this  experiment  by  keeping  tlie 
cloth  moist  for  some  days  after  the  preparaiion 
with  alum  and  tartar,  then  dipping  it  in  a pl-.un 
decoction  of  madder  made  as  usual  without  salts, 
and  adding,  when  it  had  gained  a bright  cinnamon 
colour,  the  same  solution  of  bismuth,  the  die  in- 
stead of  purple  proved  only  a chesnut. 

- 1 


X 


254 


CHAPTER  V. 


OF  FUSTIC, 

FUSTIC  is  the  wood  or  species  of  mulberr}’- 
tree,  growing  in  Jamaica  and  Bri  zil,  called  by 
Sir  Hans  Sloane,  Moi  us  Fructu  F iridi  Ligno  SuU 
phureo  linctorio.  It  is  of  a deep  sulphur  yel« 
iow  colour,  which  it  readily  gives  out  both  to  wa- 
ter and  spirit.  The  watery  decoction  dies  pre- 
pared woollen  of  a very  durable  orange  yellow  ; 
the  colour  is  imbibed  by  the  cloth  in  a moderate 
warmth  without  boiling. 

The  fustet  or  fustel  of  the  French  is  a yellow 
wood  or  root  very  different  fronr*.  our  fustic  It 
gives  a fine  orange  die  to  woollen,  but  the  colour 
is  extremely  perishable  in  the  air.  'i'hc  plant 
grows  wild  in  Italy  and  Provence,  and  is  cultiva- 
ted with  us  in  gardens  on  account  of  the  beauty 
of  its  flowers.  It  is  called  Ft^nice  Sumach,  co~ 
tinus  cotiaria,coccigria  ; cotinus  matthiolU 

CHAPTER  VI. 


nephritic  wood. 

THIS  wood  is  brought  from  the  eastern  coun- 
tries in  large  pieces,  covered  with  a dark  blackish 
bark.  The  wood  is  hard,  heavv , compact,  of  a 
fine  grain,  of  a whitish  or  pale  yellow  colour  on 


255 


the  outside,  and  a dusky  reddish  brown  in  the 
heart.  Of  the  tree  we  have  no  very  certain  ac- 
count. 

This  wood,  particularly  the  outer  pale  part, 
gives  out  both  to  water  and  to  rectified  spirit  a 
deep  tincture  appearing,  when  placed  between  the 
eye  and  the  light,  of  a golden  colour  ; in  other 
situations,  blue.  Hence  it  is  named  by  Caspar 
Baiihino^  lignum  peregrinum,  aqiiatn  coeruleam 
redden. 

By  this  mark  it  is  easily  distinguished  from  pie- 
ces of  a different  kind  of  wood,  which  are  some- 
times mixt  with  it,  and  which  give  only  a yellow 
tincture  to  water. 

It  is  remark  able,- that  the  blue  colour  of  the  in- 
fusion of  nephritic  wood  is  destroyed  by  acids, 
the  liquor  after  the  admixture  of  these  appearing 
in  all  situations  yellow  ; and  that  the  addition  of 
alkalis,  either  of  the  fixt  or  volatile  kind,  in  quan- 
tity  sufficient  to  neutralize  the  acid,  restores  the 
blueness.  No  other  woody  matter  is  known 
that  gives  any  degree  of  blue  tincture,  and  no  oth- 
er vegetable  blue  is  knotvn  that  is  thus  destructi- 
ble by  acids. 

This  wood  is  at  present  rarely  met  with  in  the 
shops  ; nor  is  it  applied  to  any  use,  except  that 
some  have  employed  it  medicinally,  and  expected 
from  it  diuretic  virtues^  whence  its  name  nephritic 
wood. 


2^6 


4 


CHAPTER  VIL 

MR.  PERGirSON’s  HISTORY  OF  LOGWOOD  AS  A 
colouring  drug. 

LOGWOOD  or  Campeachy.wood'  f Lignum 
Lrazilo  simile i coetuleo  tingem,  J,  B J the 
Wfod  of  a low  prickly  tree,  which  grows  plenti- 
fuily  about  Campeachy  or  the  Bay  of  Honduras, 
and  has  of  late  been  introduced  into  some  of  the 
warmer  of  the  British  plantations,  particularly 
Jamaica.  It  is  a native  of  the  low  marshy  places. 
The  wood  comes  over  in  pretty  large  logs  cleared 
from  the  bark.  It  is  very  hard,  compact,  heavy, 
and  of  a red  colour. 

Logw'ood  gives  out  its  colour  both  to  watery 
and  spirituous  menstrua,  bur  not  readily  to  either. 

It  requires  to  be  rasped  and  ground  into  fine  pow'- 
der,  and  boiled  in  several  fresh  parcels  of  the  li- 
quors. Rectified  spirit  extracts  the  colour  more 
easily,  and  from  a larger  proportion  of  the  wood 
tbnn  water  does. 

'I'he  tinctures  both  in  water  and  in  spirit  arc 
efa  fine  red,  with  an  admixture,  particularly  in 
the  watery  one,  of  a vhdetor  purple.  Volatile  al- 
kaline salts  or  spirits  incline  the  colour  more  to 
purple.  The  vegetable  and  nitrous  acids  ren- 
der it  pale,  the  vitriolic  and  marine  acids  deep-  # 
en  it. 

The  w’atcry  decoction,  wrote  with  on  paper, 
loses  its  redness  in  a few^  days  and  becomes  wholly 
violet.  This  colour  it  communicates  also  to 


I 


257 


woollen  cloth  previously  prepared  by  boiling  with 
a soliuion  of  alum  and  tartar.  The  die  is  beauti- 
ful, but  very  perishable.  It  is  often  used  by  the 
diers  as  an  ingredient  in  compound  colours,  for 
procuring  certain  shades  which  are  not  easily  hit 
by  other  materials.. 

With  chalvbeate  solutions  it  strikes  a black. 
H «.nce  it  is  employed  in  conjunction  with  those 
liqueurs  for  staining  wood  black  for  picture  frames, 
and  with  the  addition  of  galls  for  dying  cloth 
and  hats  black.  The  black  dies  in  which  thi& 
wood  is  an  ingredient,  have  a particular  lustre  and 
softness,  far  beyond  those  made  with  vitriol  and 
galls  alone.  The  beauty  however  which  it  here 
imparts  is  not  permanent,  any  more  than  its  owa 
natural  violet  die. 

On  the  same  principle  It  improves  also  the  lus- 
tre and  blackness  of  writiiig  ink.  Ink  made  with 
vitriol  and  galls  does  not  attain  to  its  full  blackness 
till  after  it  has  lain  some  time  upon  the  paper. 
A due  addition  of  Logwi)od  renders  it  of  a deep 
black  as  it  flows  from  the  pen,  especially  when 
vinegar  or  white  wine  is  used  for  the  menstruum. 

Decoctions  and  extracts  made  from  logwood, 
have  an  agreeable  sweetish  taste,  followed  by  a 
slight  astringency.  They  have  lately  been  intro- 
duced into  medicine,  and  given  with  success  in 
cases  where  mild  restringents  are  required.  They 
often  tinge  the  stools,  and  sometimes  the  urine  ©f 
a red  colour. 


xa 


25S 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE  PROCESS  OP  PRUSSIAN  BLUE. 

PRUSSIAN  blue  is  prepared  by  precipitating 
a solution  of  green  vitriol  and  alum  with  a lixivi- 
um drawn  from  fixed  alkaline  salt  that  has  been 
calcined  with  animal  coals.  Commonly  about 
three  parts  of  alkali  and  two  of  dried  ox- blood  are 
calcined  so  long  as  any  flame  appears,  then  thrown 
into  boiling  water,  and  the  strained  decoction 
poured  into  a hot  mixture  of  solutions  of  four 
parts  of  alum  and  one  or  less  of  vitriol.  The  li- 
quor becomes  instantly  thick  or  curdly,  and  looks 
at  first  of  a greyish  colour,  which  changes  to  a 
brown  and  in  a little  time  to  a bluish  green.  The 
matter,  being  well  stirred  together,  and  mixed 
with  a quantity  of  hard  spring  water,  a green  pre- 
cipitate subsides  ; spirit  of  salt  poured  upon  the 
edulcorated  powder  dissolves  a part  and  leaves 
the  rest  blue. 

Mr.  Geofirey  is  the  first  who  has  given  any 
plausible  theory  of  this  process',  or  any  rational 
means  for  improving  it.  He  observes  that  the 
Prussian  blue  is  no  other  than  the  iron  of  the  vit« 
riol  revived  by  the  inflammable  matter  of  the  alka- 
line lixivium,  and  perhaps  brightened  by  an  ad- 
mixture of  the  white  earth  of  alum  ; that  the  green 
colour  proceeds  from  a part  of  the  yellow  ferru- 
gineous  calx  or  ochre  unrevived,  mixing  with  the 
blue,  and  that  the  spirit  of  salt  dissolves  this  ochre 
more  readily  than  the  blue  part,  though  it  will  dis- 


255 


solve  that  also  by  long  standing,  or  if  used  in  too 
large  quantity.  From  these  principles  he  was 
led  to  increase  the  quantity  of  inflammable  matter, 
that  there  might  be  enough  to  receive  the  whole 
of  the  ferrugineous  ochre,  and  produce  a blue 
colour  at  once  without  the  use  of  the  acid  spirit. 
In  this  he  perfectly  succeeded,  and  found  at  the 
same  lime  that  the  colour  might  be  rendered 
of  any  degree  of  deepness  or  lightness  at  pleas- 
ure. 

If  the  alkali  is  calcined  with  twice  its  w^eight  of 
dried  blood,  and  the  lixivium  obtained  from  it, 
poured  into  a solution  of  one  part  of  vitriol  to  six 
of  alum,  the  liquor  acquires  a very  pale  blue  col- 
our, and  deposits  as  pale  a precipitate.  On  add- 
ing more  and  more  of  a fresh  solution  of  vitriol, 
the  colour  becomes  deeper  and  deeper,  almost 
to  blackness.  He  imagines  with  great  probabili- 
ty, that  the  blue  pigments  thus  prepared  will 
prove  more  durable  in  the  air,  mingle  more  per- 
fectly with  other  colours,  and  be  less  apt  to  injure 
the  lustre  of  such  as  are  mixed  with  or  applied  to 
its  neighborhood,  than  that  made  in  the  com- 
mon manner  ; the  tarnish  and  other  inconvenien- 
ces to  which  the  common  Prussian  blue  is  sub- 
ject,  seeming  to  proceed  from  the  acid  and  spirit, 
which  cannot  be  totally'^^parated  by  any  ablu- 
tion. 

He  takes  notice  also  of  an  amusing  phenome- 
non which  happens  upon  mixture.  When  the  li- 
quors are  well  stirred  together,  and  the  circular 
motion  as  soon  as  possible  stopt  ; some  drops 
of  solution  of  vitriol  (depurated  by  long  settling) 
let  fall  on  different  parts  of  the  surface,  divide, 
spread,  and  form  curious  representations  of 


260 


flowers,  trees,  shrubs,  flying  insects,  See.  in 
great  regularity  and  perfection.  These  contin- 
ue ten  or  twelve  minutes,  and  on  stirring  the 
liquor  again,  and  dropping  in  some  more  of  the 
solution  of  vitriol,  are  succeeded  by  a new  pic- 
ture. 

Mr.  Macquer  has  ingeniously  applied  the  prep- 
aration of  this  pigment  to  the  dicing  of  wool 
and  silk,  and  found  means  of  fixing  the  blue 
fecula  in  their  pores.  By  dipping  cloth  first  in 
a diluted  solution  of  vitriol  and  alum,  then  in 
the  ley  dilated,  and  afterwards  in  water  acidu- 
lated with  spirit  of  vitriol,  it  acquires  a light 
blue  colour,  which  becomes  deeper  and  deeper 
on  repeating  the  dippings  alternately  in  the  same 
order  as  before  ; adding  to  the  liquors  each  time 
a little  more  of  the  respective  saline  matters. 
The  blue  die,  he  says,  in  beauty  and  lustre  ex- 
ceeds that  of  indigo  and  woad,  as  far  as  scarlet 
does  the  madder  red,  and  penetrates  the  whole 
substance  of  fulled  cloth  without  weakening  it. 
The  colour  is  durable  in  the  air,  and  stands 
boiling  with  alum  water,  but  is  discharged  by 
soap,  and,  without  certain  precautions,  liable  to 
be  specky  or  unequal.  See  Memoirs  of  the  French 
Academy  for  the  year  1749. 

# 

CHAPTER  IX. 


ALKANET-ROOT. 

THE  roots  of  alkanet  in  many  respects  very 
much  resemble  saunders  wood,  but  differ  from  it 


261 


remarkably  in  others.  They  impart  an  elegant 
deep  red  to  pure  spirit  of  wine,  to  oils,  to  \\ax, 
and  to  unctuous  substances  : I do  not  know  of 
any  red  drug  that  tinges  oil  of  so  fine  a colour. 
To  water  they  give  only  a dull  brownish  red. 
The  spirituous  liquor,  on  being  inspissated  to 
the  consistence  of  an  extract,  instead  of  preserv- 
ing its  fine  red  like  that  of  saunders,  changes  to 
an  unsightly  brown. 

Volatile  spirits  have  been  said  to  gain  from  this 
root  a beautiful  violet  or  amethyst  colour  ; but  I 
have  not  found  that  they  extract  any  colour  but  a 
dull  reddish  brown. 

Thealkanet  plant  is  a species  of  bu gloss,  named 
by  Toutnefort  bu^lossum  raclice^  rubra  sive  an- 
ehusa  vulgcitior  Jlonbu&  ccerultu.  It  is  a native  of 
the  warmer  parts  of  Kurope,  and  cultivated  in 
some  of  our  gardens  The  greatest  quantities  are 
raised  in  Germany  and  France,  particularly  about 
Montpelier,  from  whence  W'e  are  chitfly  supplied 
with  the  roots. 

The  alkanet  root  produced  in  Flngland  is  much 
inferior  in  colour  to  that  brought  from  abroad  ; 
the  former  being  only  lightly  reddish,  the  latter 
of  a deep  purplish  red.  This  has  induced  some 
to  suspect  that  the  foreign  roots  owe  part  of  their 
colour  to  art,  but  a chymical  examination  teaches 
otherwise.  The  colouring  matter  is  found  upon 
experiment  to  be  of  the  same  kind  in  both,  and 
to  differ  in  several  of  its  properties  from  that  of 
all  the  other  known  red  drugs  ,*  so  that  no  artifice 
appears  to  be  practicable  without  discovery  un- 
less it  was  concentrating  the  colour  of  two  roots 
into  one,  or  supersaturating  one  root  with  the  col- 
our extracted  from  another. 


262 


The  principal  use  of  alkanet-root  is  for  col- 
ouring oils,  unguents,  lip  salves,  plaisters,  &c* 
Wax  tinged  with  it,  applied  on  warm  marble, 
stains  it  of  a flesh  colour,  which  sinks  deep  into 
the  sk^ne.  The  spirituous  tincture  gives  a deep 
red  stain. 

The  colour  of  this  root  is  confined  to  the  corti- 
cal parr,  the  pith  being  whitish ; hence  as  the  small 
roots  have  more  bark  in  proportion  to  their  bulk 
than  the  larger  ones,  those  also  contain  most  col- 
our. 


CHAPTER  X. 


or  ALUM. 

NATURE  produces  no  perfect  alum,  but  af- 
fords the  materials  for  it  in  sundry  ores,  pyritcc, 
stones,  slate  earth,  waters  and  bitumens  as  pit 
coal.  Some  late  experiments  by  Mr.  Geoffrey 
and  Mr.  Pot  have  shewn  that  the  earth  of  alum  is 
contained  in  clay,  and  that  a true  alum  may  be 
prepared  by  digesting  clay  in  the  vitriolic  acid. 
Both  of  these  gentlemen  imagine  that  only  a par- 
ticular part  of  the  clay  is  here  extracted. 

Whether  it  existed  originally  in  the  clay,  pos- 
sessed of  the  same  properties  which  it  is  found 
to  have  when  extracted,  or  whether  it  has  suffer- 
ed a change  in  the  operation,  they  have  not  deter- 
mined. From  the  ex|>eriments  I have  made,  the 
latter  seems  to  be  the  case.  Powdered  tobacco- 
pipe*  clay,  being  boiled  in  a considerable  quantity 
of  oil  of  vitriol;  and  the  fire  continued  to  dryne^s^ 


265 


the  matter,  eicamined  when  .s^rown  cold,  discov- 
ers scarcely  any  tasre,  or  only  a slight  acidulous 
one.  (Jn  exposure  to  the  air  for  a few  days,  the 
greatest  part  of  it  is  found  changed  into  lanugi- 
nous  efflorescences  in  taste  exactly  like  alum  : 
the  remainder  treated  with  fresh  oil  of  vitriol  in 
the  same  manner,  exhibits  the  same  phenomena, 
and  this  repeatedly,  till  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
day  is  converted  into  an  astringent  salt. 

If  the  earth  be  separated  again  from  the  acid, 
(by  dissolving  the  salt  in  water,  and  precipitating 
with  any  alkaline  salt)  it  is  now  found  to  dissolve 
with  ease  in  every  acid  ; to  form  with  the  vitriol- 
ic alum  again  ; with  the  nitrous,  a compound 
resembling  alum  in  taste  ; with  the  vegetable 
acids,  a substance  less  astringent  and  less  ungrate- 
ful. 


CHAPTER  XL 


CHYMICAL  HISTORY  OF  SAUNDERS,  AND 
ITS  DIFFERENCE  FROM  OTHER  RED- 
WOODS. 

RED  saunders  is  a hard,  compact,  ponderous 
wood,  of  a dark  blackish  red  on  the  outside,  and 
a light  red  colour  within  ; of  no  particular  smell 
or  taste.  It  is  brought  from  the  Coromandel 
coast  and  from  Golconda.  Of  the  tree  we  have 
no  certain  account.  Its  principal  use  is  as  a 
colouring  drug.  Those  whose  business  it  is  to 
rasp  and  grind  it  into  powder,  probably  employ 
certain  saline*  or  other  additions  to  improve  tlie 


264 


colour  ; whence  the  remarkable  dlffbreiices  in  the 
colour  of  powdered  saunders  prepared  in  differ^ 
ent  places.  'Phat  of  Strasburgh  is  of  the  deepest 
and  liveliest  red.  Some  sorts  are  of  a dead  dark 
red,  and  some  of  a pale  brick  red  ; some  incline 
to  purple  or  violet,  and  some  to  brown. 

The  colour  of  this  woocT  resides  wholly  in  its 
resin,  and  hence  is  extracted  bv  rectified  spirit, 
whilst-  water  though  it  takes  up  a porii  m of  mu- 
cilaginous matter,  gains  no  tinge,  or  only  a slight 
yellowish  one  F.  ^m  two  ounces  of  the  wood 
were  obtained  by  spirit  of  wine  three  drachms 
and  a lulf  of  resinous  extract,  and  afterwards  by 
water,  a scruple  of  mucilage.  By  appl}ing  wha- 
ler at  first,  I obtained  from  two  ounces,  two 
drachms  and  six  grains  of  a tough  mucilaginous 
extract,  which  could  not  easily  be  reduced  to  dry- 
ness. The  remainder  sti'l  \ ielded,  with  spirit, 
tw'o  drachms  of  resin.  The  indissoluble  matter 
weighed  in  ihr  first  cise,  an  ounce  and  a half  and 
fifteen  grains  ; in  the  latter,  nineteen  grains  less. 
Neither  the  distilled  water  nor  spirit  had  any  re- 
markable taste  or  smell. 

The  red  colour  of  s unders  appears  to  be  no 
other  than  a concentrated  yellow,  for  by  bare  dilu- 
tion it  becomes  yellow.  A grain  of  the  resinous 
extract,  dissolved  in  an  ounce  of  rectified  spirit, 
tii\ges  its  red,  but  this  solution  mixt  with  a quart 
of  fresh  spirit,  gives  only  a yellow  hue.  Hoffman 
reports  that  this  resni  docs  not  give  a tincture  to 
any  kind  of  oil.  I have  tried  five  oils,  those  of 
amber,  turpentine,  almonds,  annlseeds,  and  laven- 
der. It  gave  no  c(dour  to  the  tw'o  first,  but  a deep 
red  to  the  last,  and  a paler  red  to  the  other  two. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


OF  VERDIGRISE.  ' 

IT  may  not  be  amiss  to  give  the  reader  a chym- 
ical  hint  of  verdigrise. 

Vegetable  acids  dissolve  copper  slowly,  but  in 
considerable  quantity  ; the  solution  shoots  into 
bluish  green  chrystals,  similar  to  the  verdigrise, 
arugo  or  viride  csris,  of  the  shops.  This  prep- 
aration is  made  in  large  quantities  in  France,  par- 
ticularly about  Montpelier,  by  stratifying  copper 
plates  with  the  husks  of  grapes  remaining  after 
the  juice  has  been  prest  out.  These  soon  become 
acid  and  corrode  the  copper. 

Verdigrise  should  be  chosen  in  cakes,  not 
moist  or  unctuous,  but  dry,  compact,  and  of  an 
uniform  texture,  of  a lively  green  colour  through- 
out, as  free  as  possible  from  white  and  black 
specks,  and  seeds  or  stalks  of  the  grape.  It  is 
purified  b}  solution  in  distilled  vinegar,  and  crys- 
tallization, and  then  called,  improperly,  distilled 
verdigrise  or  flowers  of  copper.  The  Dutch  who 
prepare  these  crystals  in  large  quantities,  after 
duly  evaporating  the  solution,  set  it  to  shoot,  not, 
as  is  customary  in  a cold  but  in  a warm  place,  as 
practised  in  making  sugar- candy. 

If  rectified  spirit  of  wine  be  added  to  the  solu.. 
tion,  or  if  volaliic  alkalis  be  added  to  a solution  of 
copper  and  spirit  of  wine  to  this  mixture,  spiall 
blue  cr\  s-als  w ill  be  immediately  foi^.  :d.  These 
are  called  by  some  antepileptic  crystals  of  copper. 


266 


Highly  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  digested  on  half 
an  ounce,  or  twelve  scruples  of  powdered  verdi- 
grise,  dissolved  three  scruples  and  a half  ; ordi- 
nary rectified  spirit,  four  scruples ; common  malt 
spirits  four  and  a half,  and  French  brandy  seven 
and  a half.  Water  dissolved,  out  of  the  same 
quantity,  five  scruples.  Common  wine  vinegar 
dissolved  all  but  fifteen  grains,  and  distilled  vine- 
gar all  but  ten  grains.  The  whole  quantity  of 
verdigrise  dissolved  in  either  kind  of  vinegar, could 
not  be  recovered  again  in  a crystalline  form. 

From  the  common  vinegar  only  two  scruples 
and  five  grains  crystallized,  and  from  the  distilled 
vinegar  three  scruples.  The  residuum  in  the  first 
case  continued  softish,  in  the  latter  dry.  With 
French  brandy  there  was  no  crystallization  at  all  ; 
the  whole  that  the  spirit  had  taken  up  remaining 
uniformly  raixt  into  the  consistence  of  an  extract. 


A HINT 


TO  THE 


Diers  and  Cloth-Makers, 


AND  WELL  WORTH  THE  NOTICE  OF 


THE  MERCHANT. 


BY  JAMES  HAIGH, 


LATE  SILK  AND  MUSLIN-DIER,  LEEDS 


PREFACE. 


THE  Author  of  the  Dier’s  Assistant  thinks  it  his  duty., 
ih  gratitude  to  the  professors  in  that  noble  art,  to  sub- 
scribe bis  hearty  thanks  for  their  approbation  of,  and  en- 
couragement given  to  that  work,  in  this  and  every  part 
ot  England.  It  is  well  known  by  that  body  ol  people,  and 
felt  too  by  some,  that  the  price  for  dicing  woollen  gooda 
hath  been  much  reduced  of  late.  Many  circumstances 
having  determined  me,  long  since,  to  acquire  all  possi- 
ble knowledge  in  the  practice  of  dicing,  1 am  tlierefore 
constrained  once  more  to  recommend  a strict  inquiry  into 
the  original  quality  of  all  the  drugs  they  use,  that  there- 
by, if  possible,  they  may  discover  some  of  the  many 
hidden  advantages  that  may  justly  be  expected  therefrom. 

I am  astonisned  that  no  artist  has  ever  attempted  to 
improve  this  most  ingenious  art  on  chymical  principles. 
I begun  the  work  in  hopes  that  my  master-piece  would 
undertake  to  improve  it,  but  in  vain  do  I expect  it, 

A WORD  TO  THE  THINKING  PART  OF  DIERS. 

If  you  were  sensible  of  the  double  advantage  that  might 
be  acquired  in  the  use  of  m.my  of  your  vegetable  drugs, 
which  must  be  first  grounded  on  chymical  experiments 
in  miniature,  which  will  be  a certain  rule  to  the  practice 
at  large,  I am  certain  you  would  not  rest  till  you  had  made 
some  improvement. 

If  after  you  have  been  dicing  with  that  resinous  drug, 
saunders,  when  emptying  the  vessel  you  take  up  a hand- 
ful, dry  it  and  digesi  it  in  a phial  vvHli  some  pure  spirits 
of  wine,  and  It  will  afford  you  an  excellent  red  water  be- 
ing insufficient  to  dissolve  the  resin,  and  let  out  Uic  prime 
partofihe  colour.  Many  others  might  be  discovered  if 
an  unwearied  attention  was  paid. 

Y2 


270 


PREFACE. 


Many  will  censure  and  despise  this,  for  no  other  reason 
than  because  they  cannot  see  into  it;  nor  will  they  be  at 
any  pains  to  learn  and  improve  their  talents  They  seem 
rather  to  choose  the  old  round,  like  a horse  in  a mill, 
having  no  spirit  or  courage  to  improve,  but  content  with 
each  knowing  the  other’s  method,  without  striving  to  ex- 
cel, and  discover  more  complete  and  less  expensive  ways 
of  working,  and  using  the  drugs  to  the  best  advantage. 

I know  not  how  men  can  sit  still  when  there  is  more  to 
learn.  Let  it  not  be  said  of  you,  as  of  one  of  old,  “ he  liv- 
ed and  died  and  did  nothing  perhaps  he  worked  with 
his  hands,  but  his  head  was  asleep  ; and  therefore  he 
was  an  unprofitable  servant,  and  when  dead,  his  memory 
was  no  more.  Sure  it  is,  the  invitation  I have  to  write 
and  publish  this  small  pamphlet  is  not  so  much  to  please 
others,  or  to  shew  any  thing  I have  is  capable  ol  the 
name  of  parts,  but  to  communicate  my  good  wishes  for 
improvement  to  my  brethren  the  Diers,  and  to  show 
them  my  willingness  to  help  to  perfect  one  of  the  most 
useful  arts  in  the  world. 

I shall  leave  all  to  itself,  and  to  every  man’s  just  liber- 
ty to  approve,  or  disapprove,  as  he  pleases.  And  how- 
ever it  be,  the  author  shall  not  be  much  troubled,  for  he 
is  certain  no  man  can  have  a lighter  esteem  for  him,  than 
he  has  for  himself  ; who,  however,  will  be  best  pleased, 
if  any  man  shall  find  benefit  by  what  he^  has  written.  If 
any  should  alledge  a general  acceptation,  that,  to  the 
author,  will  be  no  prevailing  argument  ; for  the  multi 
tude,  though  most  in  number,  are  the  worst  and  most 
partial  judges.  He  does  not  plead  the  importunity  of 
friends  for  the  publication  of  this.  If  it  is  wort;'.y,  it 
needs  no  apology  ; it  not,  let  it  be  despised  ; and  I re- 
main the  same  friend  to  trade. 


JAMES  HAIGH. 


271 


A HINT  TO  THE  DIERS,  &c. 

BLACK  being  a primitive  colour,  and  one  of 
the  most  difficult  to  perfect,  deserves  a few  re- 
marks. If  I ask  a Dier  what  ingredients  com- 
pose a black,  the  answer  will  be  this  ; Logwood, 
sumac,  bark,  and  copperas  ; and  if  he  know^s  it, 
he  will  add  a little  ashes  and  argol  in  the  last  wet. 
If  I ask  him  which  of  these  drugs  contain  an  acid, 
which  an  alkaline  and  which  a neutral  quality,  he 
cannot  give  me  an  answer ; so  you  see  he  knows 
the  effect,  but  a stranger  to  the  cause,  and  every 
thing  else  separate  from  fact  and  custom. 

What  a pity  it  is  that  men  will  not  search  things 
to  the  bottom,  when  they  might  be  able  to  fiiid 
out  the  cause  of  miscarriages,  for  which  goods 
are  frequently  thrown  aside  to  be  died  other  col- 
ours, greatly  to  the  Dicr’s  loss.  In  conversing 
with  a sensible  Dier,  1 simply  asked  him,  What 
part  does  logwood  act  in  the  black  die  ? the  hon« 
est  man  as  simply  answered,  “ It  helps  to  make 
it  black.**  No  other  proof  was  wanted  to  know 
that  he  also  followed  his  forefathers  in  the  old 
round.  But  the  reader,  by  now,  thinks  it  time 
to  be  informed  of  the  business  of  logwood;  which 
is  (if  used  in  a right  proportion)  to  soften  the 
goods  and  give  lustre  to  the  colour.  Logwood 
being  possessed  of  a most  excellent  astrifigent 
quality,  fixes  itself  in  the  pores  of  the  goods,  and 
give  s them  a velvet  like  feel  and  gloss. 

Some  will  object  to  this  asseftio>5  and  say,  but 
our  blacks  have  not  that  velvet,  like  feeling  and 
gloss.  True,  sir,  but  don’t  you  know  the  reason  \ 


272 


you  die  your  blacks  without  scouring,  forgetting, 
or  not  knowing,  that  when  the  goods  enter  the 
boiling  die  liquor,  they  grow  harsh,  and  the  oil 
eontained  in  them  forms  a sort  of  resin,  which  be- 
comes as  fixed  as  if  it  w as  pitch  or  tar.  This  is 
one  great  cause  why  blacks  are  so  liable  to  soil 
and  dirty  linen,  because  the  die  is  in  some  sense 
held  in  an  outside  or  superficial  state.  Think 
then,  is  it  possible  these  goods  should  finish 
soft  like  velvet,  or  shine  like  a raven’s  feather  f 
No,  on  the  contrary  they  spoil  the  press  papers,  and 
come  out  stilFand  hard  like  buckram,  (not  velvet) 
and  are  often  three-parts  perished  in  rhe  finishing. 
No  greater  cause  can  be  assigned  fi>r  it  than  that 
of  not  scouring.  This  is  the  reason  of  the  great 
difference  so  much  spoken  of,  between  the  Lon- 
don blacks  and  those  died  at  Leeds.  If  the 
Leed’s  Diers  would  take  the  same  pains  as  the 
Londoners  do,  I think  they  would  excel,  in  fact, 
if  not  in  name. 

The  finishing  shops  in  London  are  not  more 
than  half  so  well  furnished  with  tools  as  those  at 
Leeds  arc  ; and  therefore  let  iht  Leeds  Diers  be 
equally  tight  and  clean  in  their  peTormance,  aiid 
there  is  nf>thing  to  prevent  their  suptrioi  itv.  But 
the  master  diers  give  a very  reasonable  answer  to 
the  foregoing.  'Bhey  say,  die  price  is  too  low, 
and  they  cannot  afford  to  take  so  much  pains. 
What  a pity  that  the  merchants  do  not  consider 
this  1 if  ihree  pence  a piece  was  added  to  the 
price  for  dicing  thin  goods  black,  it  would  about 
pa\  for  the  scouiing.  and  the  goods  would  be 
finished  with  a briUiam  lustre,  and  yet  soft  like  a 
russel. 


I should  speak  a little  to  the  nature  and  business 
of  the  other  drugs,  which  enter  the  composition 
of  black,  had  I not  done  it  before  {^see  the  article 
blacky  Dier'^s  Assistant,  p,  184.^ 

1 am  astonished  at  the  ignorance  of  the  poor 
cloth. makers,  many  of  whom  have  applied  to  me 
frequently  for  instructions  ; one  of  them,  on  be- 
ing asked  what  sort  of  ware,  and  how  much  he 
used  to  die  such  a colour,  shewing  him  a pattern, 
he  answered,  when  1 have  a pattern  given  me  by 
a merchant,  I go  to  the  salter,  shew  him  the  or- 
der, and  he  serves  me  with  what  is  wanted.  I con- 
versed with  him  some  time,  and  would  have  in- 
structed him,  but  alas  ! he  had  left  his  capacity  at 
home,  and  1 might  as  well  have  read  the  newspa- 
per to  him.  What  a pity  it  is  that  so  many  hun- 
dreds of  that  noble  branch  of  business  work,  as  it 
were,  blindlblded,  and  poverty  bitten  too,  for 
Want  of  instructions,  which  they  have  no  spirit  to 
seek  : who,  when  they  bring  a cloth  to  the  mar- 
ket, are  glad  to  sell  it  for  one  and  sixpence,  or  two 
shillings  in  the  pound  profit,  when  they  might  as 
easily  gain  five  or  six  shillings,  if  they  knew  how 
to  use  their  drugs.  But  I despair  of  doing  that 
for  them,  which  nature  has  left  undone ; for,  with- 
out I could  teach  them  to  see  with  a dier’s  eye,  I 
might  talk  and  write  forever  in  vain. 

But  there  is  another  class  of  cloth-makers,  to 
whom  1 will  give  a useful  hint  and  have  done. 

The  article  sky  blue  deserves  our  notice.  This 
colour  is  often  substituted,  (e\en  on  fine  cloth)  by 
the  Saxon  blue,  on  account  of  its  brilliancy  and 
line  lustre  ; but  like  a fugitive  it  only  stays  for  a 
season.  A little  experience  has  taught  me,  that 
if  a parcel  of  fine  wool  be  well  scoured,  then  sul- 


274 


phured  or  stoved,  than  which  nothing  can  make  it 
whiter,  and  then  died  in  a weak  vat,  it  will  have 
all  the  beauty  of  the  Saxon  blue,  without  its  im- 
perfections. The  vat  used  for  this  purpose  should 
be  set  with  a small  quantity  of  indigo,  on  purpose 
for  light  shades,  when  the  shades  will  be  always 
brighter  than  when  died  in  an  old  vat  that  has 
been  weakened  by  dying  dark  colours.  But  the 
diers  tell  you  that  blues  bear  so  low  a price,  and 
indigo  is  so  dear,  that  they  cannot  afford  lo  set 
fresh  vats  for  light  shades.  Here  is  a sufficient 
cause,  and  one  very  great  reason  of  retarding  the 
perfection  of  many  colours  It  the  wool  before- 
mentioned  should  be  obstructed  in  the  milling, 
by  means  of  the  sulphur,  (of  which  I have  not  had 
experience)  I would  commend  the  dicing  of  the 
wool  after  scouring  only,  and  stove  it  after  it  is 
milled,  which  I think  will  answer  the  same  pur- 
pose ; and  the  beauty  of  the  colour  will  amply 
pay  for  every  superfluous  work. 

I would  recommend  to  the  diers,  after  washing 
the  dark  blues  wc  11  at  the  river,  to  turn  the  cloth 
very  quick  through  a warm  vessel  of  w'ater,  in 
which  has  been  dissolved  a little  alum,  and  they 
will  see  a surprising  change  in  the  lustre  from  that 
simple  process. 

I am  not  willing  to  omit  any  thing  worth  notice 
in  the  course  of  my  experiments.  I will  there- 
fore, lightly  touch  the  properties  of  common  wa- 
ter. By  a great  number  of  experimt  nts,  I am 
thoroughly  convinced,  that  different  waters  with 
the  same  ingredients  strike  different  colours, 
I find  that  the  purest  and  lightest  water  strike  the 
best  light  ccjlours. 

All  the  die*  houses  at  a distance  from  the  river 


275 


in  London  are  furnished  with  wood  cisterns  which 
hold  perhaps  from  one  to  two  hundred  hogsheads 
of  water,  which  is  supplied  from  the  waterworks 
and  isal\\a}s  impure,  and  frequently  muddy; 
when  on  standing  a considerable  time,  as  is  the 
case  at  some  seasons  of  the  year,  it  becomes  putrid 
and  emits  a letid  smell ; if  suffered  to  stand  long- 
er, it  purifies  itself,  and  bect»mes  sweet  and  clear, 
as  well  as  considerably  lighter.  I have  sometimes 
filled  a vessel  when  the  water  has  been  all  of  a 
ferment,  and  stunk  almost  beyond  bearifig. which 
at  a boiling  heat  was  no  more  felt;  by  adding  a 
handful  of  common  starch  and  a small  bit  of  alum 
all  the  filth  is  made  to  rise,  and  is  taken  off  with 
a ladle  for  that  purpose.  The  superior  goodness 
of  the  waiei  obliges  us  to  ascribe  an  advan^^ge 
to  the  London  diers  of  light  colours  ; add  to  this 
their  remarkable  cleanliness.  When  a vessel  is 
boiling,  they  watch  it  carefully  ; and  with  a mop, 
ke^A  for  that  purpose,  they  rub  oft'  the  scum  all 
round  at  the  water’s  edge,  so  that  the  liquor  is 
perlectly  clear. 

A short  remark  on  the  die  of  Brazil  ivoodm 

It  is  impossible  to  wear  a red,  a dove  colour, 
a ciimsoii,  pui  j le,  light  or  deep  vii-k or  any  oth- 
er colour,  ihc  }>roducc  ot  Brazil  od  used  re- 
cenilv  man}  weeks,  without  fading,  spotting,  or 
soiling.  If  there  colours  were  died  in  grain  they 
would  indeed  cost  something  more,  but  you  have 
tlien  a colour  which  will  continue  beautiful  as  long 
as  ihe  sti.ff  or  cloth  v' ill  last  ; and  if  spotted  with 
dirt  or  grease,  can  casil}  be  scoured  and  clean- 
od  without  danger  of  losing  or  injuring  the  coiouri 


276 


I boiled  fifty  pounds  of  Brazil  chips  one  hour, 
in  a copper  of  the  hardest  spring  water  I could 
find,  and  carefully  took  off  the  scum,  turned  this 
liquor  over  into  a large  tub,  and  re-  heated  the  cop. 
per  to  boil  the  chips  a second  time,  when  the  coL 
our  was  all  extracted.  I then  put  both  liquors 
together,  and  let  it  stand  six  months,  when  it  was 
ropy  and  thick  like  oil.  Now  having  prepared  a 
small  piece  of  fine  cloth  in  alum  and  sour  bran« 
water,  and  kept  it  moist  five  days  unwashed  out 
of  the  alum,  I boiled  one  nut-gall  and  one  quart 
of  Brazil  liquor  ten  minutes,  then  rinsed  my 
piece  of  cloth,  and  died  it  a very  beautiful  ma- 
ronc.  But  the  chief  remark  I intend  to  make 
here,  is,  that  I hung  this  piece  of  cloth  in  the 
open  dir  night  and  day  during  four  severe  winter 
months,  and  it  had  rather  gained  in  beauty  of 
colour,  and  was  grown  rather  deeper.  This  is  a 
sufficient  proof  that  ch}  mistry  hath  a power  of 
securing  the  fine  particles  of  those  vegetables 
which  are  now  called  bastard  drugs.  Experi- 
ments (which  are  the  best  guides  in  natural  phi- 
losophy, as  well  as  in  arts)  plainly  shew  that  a 
great  advantage  might  arise  in  favour  of  the  stu- 
dious practitioner,  who  is  not  wearied  if  he  miss 
his  design  after  twenty  or  thirty  trials,  but  still 
pursues  his  plan  till  he  has  hit  it ; for  nothing  of 
the  kind  seems  to  be  impossible. 

A Experimental  Observations  on  the  Die  of 
CochinsaL 

After  all  the  common  processes  of  dicing  with 
cochineal,  there  is  found  at  the  bottom  of  the  ves- 
sel a deep  brown  sediment.  This  sediment  ap- 


277 


pears  to  consist  of  the  impurities  of  the  tartar, 
and  the  grosser  parts  of  the  powdered  cochineal. 
This  being  lighdy  washed  with  clear  cold  water, 
dried  and  ground  on  a marble,  with  one  fourth 
its  weight  of  fine  tartar,  into  an  impalpable  pow- 
der, and  then  put  into  water  with  a little  alum,  a 
piece  of  white  cloth  boiled  in  this  liquor  three 
quarters  of  an  hour  acquired  a very  beautiful 
crimson  die. 

This  experiment  evinces,  that,  by  reducing 
cochineal  into  a powder  of  moderate  fineness  as 
commonly  jiractised,  we  do  not  gain  all  the  ad- 
vantage which  this  valuable  commodity  is  capa- 
ble of  yielding. 

If  the  cochineal,  when  taken  from  the  vessel, 
(after  the  scarlets  are  died)  is  treated  as  above, 
the  saving  in  the  cochineal,  whether  for  scarlet  or 
crimson,  will  be  about  one- third.  Though  less 
tartar  is  usuall)  employed  in  the  die  liquor,  yet 
this  quantity  here  directed  does  no  harm  ; it  ap- 
pealed on  trial  that  the  colour  was  rather  the  more 
solid  for  it.  All  urinous  and  alkaline  liquors  or 
substances  stain  scarlet  of  a crimson,  by  destroy- 
ing the  t ffect  of  the  acid.  Hence,  in  purecoui*. 
try  air,  scarlet  retains  its  lustre  much  longer  than 
in  cities  and  towns,  w here  alk  tline  and  urinous 
vap(jiirs  are  more  abundant.  The  dirt  of  roads 
and  sundry  substances  of  the  acrid  kind,  leave 
no  stain  on  scarlet,  if  the  part  be  washed  imme- 
diately in  pure  water,  and  wrung  in  a clean  linen 
cloth.  If  the  dirt  is  suffered  to  dry,  a blackish 
vit>let  spot  will  remain,  w hich  can  only  be  dis^ 
ch  irged  by  mild  vegetable  acids,  as  vinegar  cit- 
ron juice,  a warm  dilute  solution  of  cream  of 
tartar,  or  sour  bran  water  ; ii'  these  acids,  hov;- 
Z 


278 


ever,  be  not  applied  with  a good  deal  of  address, 
whilst  they  take  out  the  blackish  stain  they  leave 
a yellow  one,  by  dissolving  the  colouring  parti- 
cles of  the  cochineal  itself. 

After  at  least  a thousand  experiments,  I am 
obliged  to  conclude,  that  the  dicing  of  wool  is  the 
most  extensive  branch  of  this  art,  it  may  be  con- 
sidered as  its  basis  ; but  the  dicing  of  silk,  thread, 
and  cotton,  deserves  also  our  attention. 

The  great  diiTerence  between  those  substances, 
and  that  of  wool,  is  well  known  to  the  calico 
printers,  whose  grand  care  it  is  to  find  means  of 
making  linen  receive  the  same  dies  as  wool  does. 
The  physical  cause  oi  the  difterence  seems  yet  un- 
known ; and  indeed,  as  before  observed  of  dies 
in  general,  we  know  as  yet  very  little.  Are  ani- 
mal filaments  tubular,  and  the  colouring  atoms 
received  within  them  ? are  vegetable  filaments 
solid,  and  the  colour  deposited  on  the  surface  ? 
or,  does  not  their  different  susceptibility  of  colour 
depend  rather  on  the  different  intrinsic  properties 
of  the  two  ? An  answer  to  this  would  doubtless 
prove  of  great  utility. 

» I should  be  happy  to  find  some  artist  undertake 
<'  to  improve  what  I have  in  a poor  way  begun.  . I 
long  to  see  the  art  in  perfection,  one  half  of  which 
is  yet  in  oblivion. 

The  reader  may  be  assured,  that  what  is  here 
recited  is  purely  the  result  of  the  author’s  own 
experience,  (not  theory)  and  part  of  the  effects 
of  many  years’  study. 

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